Defiance Amid Repression: The Enduring Power of Strikes in Iran

labor strikes in Iran

Tehran, May 29, 2025 — Strikes in Iran have long been a powerful expression of social, economic, and political discontent, shaping the nation’s trajectory from the labor movements preceding the 1979 Islamic Revolution to the widespread protests of recent years. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution of strikes, their outcomes, the current economic crisis and its impact on livelihoods, the role of international negotiations and European pressures to activate the “snapback” mechanism, and the Islamic Republic’s response to strikers. Written in a professional, journalistic style comparable to Reuters, this report uses subheadings and quotations for clarity and depth, with a particular focus on the economic hardships and inflation affecting the Iranian populace.

Strikes in Iran: A Historical and Contemporary Analysis

Historical Context: Pre-1979 Strikes

Strikes in Iran have deep roots in the nation’s modern history. As early as 1907, workers on the Baku-Anzali shipping line staged one of the earliest documented labor strikes. In the decades leading up to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, strikes in the oil and textile industries became critical tools for advocating economic and political rights. The nationwide strikes of 1978, particularly in the oil sector, paralyzed the Pahlavi regime’s economy. Ayatollah Khomeini, the revolutionary leader, hailed these actions as evidence of “the people’s contempt for the Pahlavi monarchy,” urging workers to escalate their efforts.

These strikes not only disrupted the economy but also dismantled the regime’s political legitimacy. A historian remarked, “The 1979 strikes were a strategic blow, undermining both the economic stability and political authority of the Pahlavi dynasty.”

Post-Revolution Strikes: From Labor to Political Resistance

After the 1979 Revolution, the absence of constitutional provisions recognizing the right to strike posed significant challenges. In the 1980s and 1990s, strikes were primarily driven by economic grievances, focusing on wages and workplace conditions. For example, strikes by bakers and print workers in the early 1980s secured incremental improvements in labor rights.

The late 2010s marked a shift toward broader dissent. The 2018 and 2019 nationwide strikes by truck drivers, bazaar merchants, and teachers, spurred by economic crises fueled by sanctions and mismanagement, gained global attention. The 2018 truckers’ strike, driven by soaring fuel costs and declining real wages, extracted government promises of fuel subsidies and tire provisions, though these were often temporary and inadequate.

The 2018–2019 Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company strikes, sparked by unpaid wages and mismanaged privatization, exemplified worker resilience. Supported by civil activists and international figures like Shirin Ebadi, these protests led to some managerial reforms but were met with severe repression, including the detention and reported torture of activists like Sepideh Qolian and Esmail Bakhshi.

The 2022 nationwide strikes, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, were a defining moment. Originating in Kurdistan and spreading to over 190 cities, these protests blended social and political demands, with slogans like “Woman, Life, Freedom” resonating globally. Workers in oil and petrochemicals, teachers, students, and merchants participated, exerting unprecedented pressure on the regime. While structural reforms did not materialize, the strikes amplified international solidarity and exposed Iran’s internal fault lines.

Iran’s Economic Crisis: Inflation and Struggling Livelihoods

Iran’s economy in 2025 is mired in a chronic crisis, exacerbated by international sanctions, a plummeting national currency, and rampant inflation. Gold coin prices have surged to approximately 80 million tomans, while pharmaceutical costs have risen by 50 to 400 percent, placing immense strain on low-income households. The 2024 Nowruz market was markedly subdued, reflecting diminished purchasing power. Protests by shareholders of the National Steel Industrial Group underscore widespread economic discontent.

Inflation, estimated at over 40% annually, has eroded livelihoods, particularly for workers, teachers, and pensioners. The cost of basic goods, such as bread, rice, and medicine, has skyrocketed, with many families unable to afford essentials. A Tehran-based shopkeeper lamented, “We can barely afford to stock our shelves, let alone buy enough for our own families.” The price of meat and dairy has doubled in some regions, forcing households to cut back on nutrition, while fuel and transportation costs further squeeze budgets.

This economic hardship has fueled widespread frustration. An Iranian economist observed, “Runaway inflation and economic mismanagement have obliterated the middle class, pushing millions toward poverty.” Teachers and laborers, whose salaries have not kept pace with inflation, report struggling to cover rent and utilities. Pensioners, too, face dire circumstances, with many taking to the streets to demand adjustments to their fixed incomes. These conditions have made strikes not only a response to specific grievances but also a desperate cry for systemic change.

Economic Impact of Strikes

Strikes in critical sectors like transportation and oil have had profound economic repercussions. The 2025 truckers’ strike, driven by rising fuel and insurance costs, disrupted wheat supply chains, raising fears of flour and bread shortages. This led to price spikes for staples, further straining household budgets and intensifying social unrest.

The 2022 oil and petrochemical strikes, which adopted political undertones unprecedented since 1979, temporarily curtailed oil production and exports. Combined with new U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil minister, these disruptions exacerbated fiscal pressures on the government. However, the lack of legal mechanisms for dialogue with strikers and the regime’s reliance on repression limited the strikes’ direct economic gains, though they heightened public awareness of systemic issues.

International Negotiations and European Pressure: The Snapback Mechanism

Iran’s nuclear talks with the United States, with the fourth round postponed from May 4 to May 10, 2025, due to logistical challenges, remain stalled. Aimed at reviving the JCPOA and easing sanctions, these negotiations are complicated by European threats to trigger the “snapback” mechanism, which would reinstate UN sanctions. A Western diplomat noted, “Europe’s snapback threat is a lever to enforce Iran’s nuclear compliance, but it risks escalating tensions.”

These pressures, alongside U.S. sanctions, have deepened Iran’s economic woes, indirectly fueling strikes. Disruptions in oil production due to strikes weaken Iran’s negotiating leverage, as oil revenues are critical to its economy. Some analysts suggest that sustained domestic unrest could push the government toward more serious engagement with the West, though progress remains uncertain.

The Islamic Republic’s Response to Strikers

The Islamic Republic has consistently responded to strikes with repression. In 2018 and 2019, Haft Tappeh and National Steel workers faced arrests, interrogations, and reported torture. Sepideh Qolian, after exposing her prison ordeal, was re-arrested and transferred to Qarchak Prison.

During the 2022 strikes, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei ordered security forces to target those “coercing” shopkeepers and drivers into striking, reflecting a securitized approach. Human Rights Watch documented intensified crackdowns on labor activists and teachers during this period. In 2025, hunger strikes by political prisoners like Reza Valizadeh and Vahisheh Moradi, protesting inhumane prison conditions, were ignored by authorities. A human rights advocate stated, “The lack of legal recognition for strikes turns every act of dissent into a political battle, met with brutal suppression.”

Conclusion

Strikes in Iran, from the pre-revolutionary era to today, have been a vital channel for voicing economic and social grievances. While some have secured temporary concessions, systemic repression and the absence of legal protections have constrained their long-term impact. The economy, battered by sanctions, inflation, and mismanagement, leaves millions struggling with soaring costs and diminishing livelihoods, fueling further unrest. International pressures, including the snapback threat, add complexity, while the regime’s repressive tactics stifle dialogue. The future of strikes in Iran depends on economic, political, and global developments, but their role in driving the discourse of change remains indisputable.