Category: Labor and Guilds

A New Wave of Pressure on Cyberspace and Public Spaces: Blocking Social Media Pages and Sealing Cafés

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News, Women
bloggers, Business Closures, compulsory hijab, Cyber Police (FATA), Digital Rights, freedom of expression, HRANA, Human Rights in Iran, Internet Freedom, Iran, Online Businesses, Online Censorship, Public Spaces, Social Control, Social Media Crackdown, Woman Life Freedom

HRANA – Iranian authorities have launched a new wave of restrictions targeting social media users, online businesses, and commercial establishments across the country in recent weeks. The crackdown has included the blocking of social media pages, the mass removal of online content, the forced publication of written pledges, summonses and judicial action against account administrators, the sealing of businesses, and restrictions on online commercial activity.

A review of information collected by HRANA, including interviews with business owners and social media page administrators, indicates that these measures have affected a broad cross-section of individuals and businesses rather than any single group or sector. Those targeted include bloggers, content creators, media outlets, athletes, artists, fashion and beauty professionals, online businesses, cafés, and other commercial establishments. The similarities in the methods of enforcement, the repeated use of comparable allegations and official terminology, and the involvement of law enforcement, judicial, and security agencies across multiple cases suggest a broader pattern of enforcement rather than a series of isolated or unrelated actions.

A significant portion of these measures has been linked to compulsory hijab regulations, the presence of women with optional hijab, and vague concepts such as “norm-breaking,” “content contrary to public morality,” and “failure to observe Islamic standards.” The simultaneous pressure on online activities, businesses, and public gathering places points to a renewed intensification of mechanisms of social control, a trend that has affected both cyberspace and the public sphere at the same time.

This report examines documented incidents that occurred between July 11 and August 1, 2026. The information was compiled through monitoring social media platforms, reviewing notices posted on blocked or restricted pages, examining statements issued by judicial and law enforcement authorities, reviewing remarks by government officials, collecting reports from business owners and media sources, as well as conducting numerous interviews with page administrators.

Where possible, HRANA has identified duplicate cases and avoided counting them more than once. Only pages whose names or identities could be verified and for which evidence indicated that the restrictions resulted from intervention by government authorities have been included in the documented statistics.

The figures for blocked pages, published pledges, and sealed businesses overlap in some instances. For example, the social media page of a business may have been blocked, its administrator compelled to publish a written pledge, and the business itself sealed. Therefore, these totals should not be interpreted as representing the number of individuals, legal cases, or independent enforcement actions.

Aggregate reports in which the names of pages or specific details of the measures were not disclosed are listed separately and have not been included in the statistics for individually documented cases. Furthermore, because of deleted content, deactivated accounts, and restricted access to official information, the figures presented represent only the minimum number of identifiable cases and do not necessarily encompass all enforcement actions carried out during this period.

Government authorities have justified these actions using allegations such as “disturbing public opinion,” “norm-breaking,” “publishing content contrary to public morality,” “criminal activity,” and “insulting religious sanctities.” However, an examination of the documented incidents suggests that they cannot all be regarded as isolated and unrelated measures. The diversity of the targeted groups, the broad geographic scope, the similarities in enforcement methods, and the repeated use of common language in official statements, page-blocking notices, and written pledges all point to the emergence, or renewed intensification, of a coordinated pattern of enforcement targeting online activity, businesses, and public spaces.

In some respects, particularly the use of judicial and law enforcement mechanisms to impose restrictions on dress, lifestyle, and cultural and social activities, this pattern is reminiscent of the social control policies implemented in the years preceding the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests. However, in the absence of any publicly available directive or document indicating the existence of a centralized, nationwide decision, it cannot be stated with certainty that all of these measures are part of a single coordinated policy.

One of the defining features of this wave has been the expansion of enforcement beyond political and media activists. Bloggers, content creators, online businesses, travel agencies, figures in the fashion and beauty industry, sports coaches, commercial establishments, and pages associated with cultural and commercial activities have also faced restrictions. HRANA’s review of the collected information indicates that, in recent weeks alone, at least 72 high-profile social media pages or accounts have been blocked, seized, or taken offline.

In many cases, previously published content was removed and replaced with nearly identical notices stating that the page had been blocked by order of a judicial authority or alleging the publication of “criminal content,” “failure to comply with the law,” or “content contrary to public morality and decency.” In addition, at least 21 pages, following warnings or intervention by law enforcement and judicial authorities, were compelled to publish written pledges committing to comply with regulations and refrain from repeating their previous activities. During the same period, at least 23 businesses were sealed in cities across the country.

Because, in some cases, page blocking, content removal, the extraction of written pledges, and the sealing of business premises occurred simultaneously, these figures represent the number of documented enforcement measures rather than the number of separate cases or individuals. The repeated use of similar methods, including content removal, page blocking, and the compulsory publication of written pledges, indicates a coordinated pattern of enforcement targeting a broad spectrum of online actors and businesses.

Breakdown by Category of Blocked or Seized Social Media Pages

The following is a breakdown by category of high-profile and widely followed social media pages that were subjected to action by security agencies or the Cyber Police (FATA) during the reporting period:

• Bloggers, online personalities, and personal accounts: Approximately 25 cases, including lifestyle bloggers, content creators, entertainment pages, and personal accounts belonging to Nima Takido, Haj Reza, Mobina Ostadi, Arshia, Niloufar Ramezani, Negin, Mahdieh Keikha, Arian Yousefi, Parya Asadi, Yalda Arjmandi, Laleh Siah, Ahmad, Mehran, Saeed, Setareh, Mohammad Teymouri, Ramin, Hanieh Taheri, Sara Chegeni, Mobina, Morteza Ghafouri, Nika Fallahi, Samin Hadizadeh, Afshin Fada, and Zahra Rafizadeh.

Among the cases that received significant attention on social media was the blocking of Nima Takido’s YouTube and Instagram accounts by order of a judicial authority and carried out by Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA). The action came several days after a controversial gathering of his supporters at Iran Mall and rendered inaccessible his YouTube channel, which had approximately one million subscribers, and his Instagram page, which had more than 1.5 million followers.

• Commercial, retail, and service businesses: Approximately 19 cases, including shops, beauty centers, event management companies, advertising agencies, and other online businesses, including Miaso Lounge Café, Surprise Paradise, Elham Asadzadeh, Van Gogh Café, Brown Bear Gallery (owned by Maryam Abdollahzadeh), Parsis Advertising Agency, Sajjad Barzigar Gold & Jewelry Store, Naqsh-e Mandegar, Parnian Catering & Events, Easy Apply, Tandis Skin and Hair Clinic, Liosa Fashion House, Nazari Clothing Store, Louti Café, Saba Collection, Segal Store, Laviz Café-Restaurant, Manto Sport, and Rouhi Café & Restaurant.

• Beauty, fashion, cosmetics, and modeling: Approximately 10 cases, involving makeup artists, tattoo artists, fashion designers, and beauty service providers, including Fatemeh Esmaeili, Mahoura Yahooei, Parak, Negin, Samaneh Safari, Maryam Hamzeh’i, Matin, Majid, Amina Bagheri, and Parisan Nazari.

• Sports, coaching, and athletic activities: Approximately 9 cases, including sports clubs, coaches, athletes, dance instructors, and sports groups, including Arash Bali, Dopamine Event (managed by Peyman Ramesht), Alvand Running Club, Tara, Swish Sports Club, Mona, dance instructor known professionally as Ari, Zahra Gaderi, and Narges, a martial artist based in Gorgan.

• Arts, music, and cultural activities: Approximately 5 cases, including singers, DJs, actors, writers, and cultural pages, namely Ekhtesasi Marjoon, rapper Respa, DJ Azi, Mohammadreza Reyhani, and Ali Keshvari.

• Tourism, nature travel, and travel services: Approximately 4 cases, including travel agencies, tour guides, and eco-tour organizers: Dalahoo Travel Agency, Hossein Pachideh, Nikisa Tehrani, and Shooka Tour.

Among this category, the blocking of Dalahoo Travel Agency’s Instagram page by judicial order attracted the greatest media attention. The measure followed the publication of images showing women without compulsory hijab during tours organized by the agency. After the page was blocked, all of its content was removed and replaced with a single notice stating: “This page has been blocked pursuant to the order of the respected judicial authority.”

Some pages operated across more than one field. For example, several bloggers were simultaneously active in fashion, beauty, sports, or tourism. Accordingly, the above classification is based on each page’s primary area of activity.

In addition to the specifically identified pages, the Qazvin Province Public Places Supervision Police announced the identification and “cleansing” of 56 Instagram pages, describing them as containing “norm-breaking promotional content and culturally harmful material.” Because neither the names of these pages nor the precise measures taken against them were disclosed, these cases have not been included in the total of 72 specifically identified pages.

Similarly, in Gilan Province, the Public Places Supervision Police reported identifying 32 businesses in Rasht and removing more than 3,258 pieces of content from their Instagram pages. Since content removal does not necessarily amount to the complete blocking of an account, these cases have likewise not been included in the count of blocked pages.

Breakdown by Category of Pages Required to Publish Written Pledges

• Fashion, clothing, modeling, and beauty services: 9 cases, involving Fariba Jamshidi (beauty services), Nasrin Ghadiri, Sarar Beauty Salon, Leila Nazari, Ala Zandi, Sovil Fashion House, Negin Sasani, the Milad Clothing sales page, and fashion and beauty blogger Sana Allahi.

• Sports and coaching: 4 cases, including Farina (fitness and bodybuilding), Elham Kardanpour (swimming and aquatic fitness coach), Mohammad Nateghi (bodybuilding athlete), and Afaq (middle- and long-distance running coach).

• Bloggers and lifestyle/social content creators: 3 cases, involving Arnika Kaveh, Azadeh Amini, and Amirhossein Garivani.

• Other professional and commercial fields: 5 cases, including photographer Yeganeh Jahanpour, general surgeon Dr. Mohammad Hassan Izadian, Omid Hamidvand (active in the audio systems industry), the Avand cultural and artistic platform, and A&A Hypermarket.

In a significant number of these cases, the written pledges were published bearing the logo of FARAJA’s Intelligence Organization. They contained nearly identical language referring to “compliance with the law,” “non-repetition,” “warning and guidance,” and refraining from publishing the content that had prompted the authorities’ intervention. The similarity in both the wording and format of these statements suggests the use of standardized templates and the implementation of a common procedure in dealing with the administrators of different social media pages.

In several of these cases, the publication of a written pledge was accompanied by additional enforcement measures. The page of a fashion and beauty blogger, as well as the pages of Amirhossein Garivani and Leila Nazari, were blocked in addition to being required to publish pledges. The pages of Ala Zandi and Farina also had their previous content removed, while Sovil Fashion House reported that more than 800 posts had been deleted from its page on the orders of the Security Police. In Semnan, action taken against the social media page of a commercial establishment resulted in the removal or modification of its content, the extraction of a written pledge from its administrator, and the sealing of the business premises.

Breakdown of Sealed Businesses

• Cafés and restaurants on Sanai and Iranshahr streets in Tehran: 7 cases, including Joe Café, 1401, Sam Café, Do Bar, Man, Novuk, and Theory.

• Businesses in Semnan: 4 cases, including Tabeh Café, X Café, Best Café, and another business that was sealed after publishing content described by the authorities as “mocking the Islamic hijab.”

• Other businesses: 12 cases, including cafés and commercial establishments in Tehran, Dezful, Behbahan, Sari, Tonekabon, and Isfahan, among them Caspian Café in Tonekabon, Mohseni Mansion in Behbahan, Kama Café, Gol-e Yakh Café, Rouhi Café, Pizza Davood, Mansha Mansion in Tehran, and other reported businesses.

One of the most notable examples of this pattern was the simultaneous enforcement action against several café-restaurants on Sanai and Iranshahr streets in Tehran. On July 20, at least seven café-restaurants in the area were sealed on allegations including failure to enforce the compulsory hijab and what authorities described as violations of “Islamic standards.” At the same time, the Instagram pages of several of these businesses were also blocked by order of a judicial authority.

Several days after these actions, reports emerged that curbs, flower beds, raised seating areas, and outdoor seating spaces in front of cafés on Sanai Street had been demolished, while benches along Iranshahr Street were removed. The timing of these measures, alongside the closure of the cafés, has raised concerns that the restrictions extend beyond businesses themselves to encompass informal public gathering spaces used by residents.

In Dezful, a café was sealed after videos showing women with optional hijab were published, and judicial cases were opened against individuals connected to the establishment. Mohseni Mansion in Behbahan was also sealed because customers were present without compulsory hijab and music was being played. Several businesses sealed in Semnan later announced that the closure orders had been lifted after a few days and that they had resumed operations. A perfume store was likewise sealed for two days. Pizza Davood, one of Tehran’s oldest pizzerias, was sealed in recent weeks because customers were present without compulsory hijab; it later announced that the seal had been lifted and that it had reopened.

Caspian Café-Restaurant in Tonekabon was sealed after a video of a football match viewing event was published, with authorities alleging the occurrence of “social abnormalities.” In Ardabil, a café was sealed on accusations including “norm-breaking,” “failure to observe Islamic standards,” and “promoting corruption,” while two of its owners were arrested.

Kama Café and Mansha Mansion were also sealed by order of the Public Places Supervision Office. Gol-e Yakh Café-Restaurant in Tehran reported that it had been sealed by judicial order based on allegations of “improper hijab.” Ghahveh Book Café in Isfahan was likewise sealed, although no explanation was provided regarding the reason for the closure.

Expansion of Enforcement from Cyberspace to the Public Sphere

A review of the documented incidents indicates that these restrictions have not been confined to the online sphere. In a number of cases, page blocking, content removal, the compulsory publication of written pledges, the summoning of page administrators, and the sealing of business premises were carried out simultaneously or within a short period of one another. The targeting of cafés and popular gathering places for young people, the demolition or removal of public seating areas, restrictions on group sporting activities, and action against organizers of tours and cultural events all suggest that this policy extends beyond regulating online content and also seeks to control how citizens use public spaces.

The names of numerous state bodies, including Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA), the Public Security Police, the Public Places Supervision Police, the Cyber Police (FATA), FARAJA’s Intelligence Organization, and judicial authorities, appear repeatedly in blocking notices, written pledges, and official statements issued during this period.

On many blocked pages, in addition to references to judicial orders, the names or logos of the Deputy for Supervision of Online Businesses and the Public Places Supervision Police also appeared. The repeated presence of these agencies in cases involving businesses and social media pages indicates their involvement in parts of the process of identifying alleged violations, removing content, and blocking accounts. This suggests that enforcement against online activity—particularly activity connected to commercial businesses—has not been carried out solely through the Cyber Police (FATA), but has also involved agencies responsible for supervising online businesses and public establishments.

Common Terminology and Ambiguity in the Legal Basis for Enforcement

Terms such as “norm-breaking,” “psychological security of society,” “culturally harmful content,” “content contrary to public morality,” “harmful advertising,” “criminal activity,” and “content contrary to public ethics and decency” have been repeatedly used across a large number of official statements, page-blocking notices, and written pledges.

In many cases, however, the specific conduct or content that allegedly justified the enforcement action was never identified. Likewise, in a number of cases, pages were blocked pursuant to judicial orders, yet the identity of the issuing judicial authority, the case number, and the available procedures for legal appeal or challenge were not disclosed.

In this context, on July 25, the official responsible for online activists in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province announced that the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance had launched a process to “organize and provide insurance coverage for online activists.” According to the announcement, online activists would be formally recognized, while individuals who violated applicable laws and regulations would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

However, one day later, on July 26, the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace denied the announcement, stating that “the Supreme Council of Cyberspace has not convened for more than a year to adopt such a resolution, and no such proposal is under consideration.”

These contradictory statements, and the subsequent denial, at the very least point to a lack of transparency and coordination in the official narrative regarding the origin and legal basis of this initiative.

Conclusion

A review of the statistics and documentation collected by HRANA indicates that the enforcement measures carried out in recent weeks cannot be regarded merely as a series of isolated judicial or law enforcement actions. During the reporting period, at least 72 identified social media pages and accounts were blocked or seized, the administrators of 21 pages were compelled to publish written pledges—or statements committing to comply with applicable regulations, and at least 23 businesses were sealed.

In addition, official reports indicate enforcement measures against 56 Instagram pages in Qazvin Province and the removal of 3,258 pieces of content from the Instagram pages of 32 businesses in Rasht. Because the names of the pages, the identities of their administrators, and the precise nature of the measures taken were not disclosed, these cases have not been included in the statistics for specifically identified cases presented in this report.

Several page administrators who spoke with HRANA described similar experiences regarding the conduct of law enforcement authorities. According to their accounts, officers from the Cyber Police (FATA) initially contacted them by telephone before summoning them to a designated location. During these visits, some individuals had their mobile phones inspected, and conditions were imposed on their continued activity online. These conditions included signing a written pledge, deleting previously published content, and posting a statement on their personal or business pages committing to comply with applicable regulations.

Some interviewees stated that these actions were carried out directly by police officers at the location where they had been summoned. According to their accounts, officers used the individual’s mobile phone to access their social media accounts, deleted selected content, published the required written pledge, obtained the individual’s signed undertaking, and then returned the phone.

However, the method of enforcement was not identical in every case. Other interviewees reported that, depending on the city in which they operated and the nature of their page or business, instructions to remove content, publish a written pledge, and refrain from repeating the activities objected to by the authorities were communicated solely by telephone, without requiring an in-person appearance.

Taken together, these accounts, alongside the diversity of targeted groups, the broad geographic scope of the enforcement measures, the similarities in implementation, the repeated use of common official terminology, and the concurrent involvement of judicial, security, and law enforcement bodies, suggest the emergence of a pattern that extends well beyond isolated or case-specific enforcement actions.

The fact that a significant proportion of these measures relate to compulsory hijab, women’s dress, the publication of images of women without compulsory hijab, collective sporting and cultural activities, and the way citizens use public spaces further strengthens the possibility that the Islamic Republic is once again intensifying its mechanisms of social control. This trend appears to target the online sphere, economic activity, and the public realm simultaneously.

Given the limited access to information, the deletion or deactivation of some social media pages, and the absence of publicly available details for many cases, the actual number of enforcement actions is likely to be significantly higher than the documented figures presented here. If this trend continues, it may lead to a further expansion of restrictions on online users, businesses, and public spaces in the weeks and months ahead.

The following section presents a collection of images and supporting documentation gathered by HRANA relating to blocked social media pages and pages whose administrators were compelled to publish written pledges.

Teachers’ Union Activist Shokrollah Ahmadi Sentenced to Three Years, Seven Months in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
HRANA, Shokrollah Ahmadi, شکرالله احمدی

HRANA – Shokrollah Ahmadi, a teachers’ union activist in Nurabad Mamasani, has been sentenced by a court to three years, seven months, and 15 days in prison.

According to HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Shokrollah Ahmadi has been sentenced to imprisonment.

According to a verdict issued and served by a judicial authority in Nurabad Mamasani, located in Fars province, Mr. Ahmadi was sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” and to seven months and 15 days in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In January 2026, Shokrollah Ahmadi was arrested in connection with the nationwide protests in Mamasani. He was released on bail after a period in detention.

Shokrollah Ahmadi serves as an inspector for the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations and is a teachers’ union activist in Nurabad Mamasani. He has previously faced judicial action due to his union activities.

Teacher Hadi Jalali Sentenced to Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Hadi Jalali, HRANA, Kerman

HRANA – The conviction of Hadi Jalali, a teacher residing in Kerman, has been upheld in full by Branch 7 of the Kerman Province Court of Appeals. He had previously been sentenced to two years and seven months in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

According to a report by HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Hadi Jalali has been sentenced to imprisonment.

According to a ruling issued by Branch Seven of the Kerman Province Court of Appeals on June 9, 2026, Mr. Jalali was sentenced to two years and seven months in prison on the charge of disrupting the country’s security.

The report states that the appellate court’s decision was issued only eight days after the case was referred to the court, without holding a defense hearing and without giving him an opportunity to present explanations.

The hearing on the charges against Hadi Jalali was held on February 11, 2025, in Branch One of the Revolutionary Court of Kerman. In the initial proceedings, the court sentenced him to the same term of imprisonment.

“Exchanging information with individuals linked to Israel and engaging in media and propaganda activities” were cited as examples of the charges brought against this teacher.

In September 2024, Mr. Jalali was formally charged by Branch Five of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Kerman, and the indictment in his case was issued in November of the same year.

Hadi Jalali, a teacher residing in Kerman, was arrested by security forces in August 2024 and was released after approximately one month upon posting bail of one billion tomans.

He had also been briefly detained on two separate occasions in April and May 2024.

Kokab Badaghi Pegah Sentenced to One Year in Prison

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
ahvaz, HRANA, Izeh, Kokab Badaghi Pegah, کوکب بداغی پگاه

HRANA – Kokab Badaghi Pegah, a teacher residing in Izeh, Khuzestan province, has been sentenced to one year in prison by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Ahvaz.

According to a report by HRANA, citing the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Kokab Badaghi Pegah has been sentenced to imprisonment. Based on the report, Ms. Badaghi Pegah was sentenced by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Ahvaz to one year of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”

In January 2026, Badaghi Pegah was summoned to the Intelligence Department of Izeh after receiving an official notice. At the same time, security forces searched her home and confiscated some of her personal belongings.

In December 2025, Branch 20 of the Khuzestan Province Court of Appeals acquitted Ms. Badaghi Pegah of the charges in a separate case. She had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court in the initial stage of those proceedings.

In September 2025, Ms. Badaghi Pegah was also sentenced to a three-month suspension from public service by the Appeals Board for Administrative Violations of the Khuzestan Province Department of Education.

Kokab Badaghi Pegah, a labor rights activist among teachers in Khuzestan Province, has previously faced judicial actions due to her activities.

Attorney Bahar Sahraeian Arrested, Charged

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Adelabad Prison, Bahar Sahraeian, HRANA, Shiraz

HRANA – Bahar Sahraeian, an attorney in Shiraz, was arrested on May 16, 2026. Yesterday, after being formally charged, she was transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

According to Emtedad, Bahar Sahraeian was arrested and formally charged. Based on the report, on the morning of Sunday, May 17, 2026, Ms. Sahraeian was formally charged at the Shiraz Prosecutor’s Office with “assembly and collusion with the intent to act against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “spreading falsehoods.”

The attorney was arrested yesterday after appearing before the Shiraz Revolutionary Court to follow up on matters related to her legal practice.

At the time of this report, no information had been obtained regarding her place of detention.

Bahar Sahraeian, an attorney and member of the Fars Province Bar Association, has previously faced arrest due to her activities.

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Post-War Unemployment: 2,000 Workers Laid Off in Rasht, 135,000 Jobs Lost Nationwide

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Labor and Guilds, News
Gilan, HRANA, post-war Unemployment, Rasht

HRANA – Iran’s labor market, due to the consequences of war, has faced a significant rise in unemployment and workforce reductions. In Rasht alone, at least 2,000 workers have lost their jobs over the past one to two months. Nationwide, the loss of approximately 135,000 jobs, the exit of nearly one million people from the labor market, and the registration of at least 191,000 unemployment insurance claims all point to a deepening employment crisis and increasing pressure on workers’ livelihoods.

According to ILNA, at least 2,000 workers in Rasht have become unemployed. Based on this report, labor sources in Rasht County have reported an increasing trend of layoffs in production, industrial, and service units in the region. According to these sources, over the past one to two months, at least 2,000 workers have lost their jobs. Among these cases are approximately 490 workers at the “Pink” company, 500 at “Paya Modern,” 190 at “Gilara,” and 55 at a poultry unit.

Additionally, layoffs, albeit on a smaller scale, have also been reported in other units, including “Darougar Rasht” and “.” According to labor sources, shortages of raw materials and reduced financial resources due to declining sales are among the main reasons cited for these layoffs. Many workers have reportedly referred to the labor office to apply for unemployment benefits.

At a joint meeting of labor and employer organizations, participants highlighted the widespread impact of the war on the labor market.

Based on a report by ILNA, statements made during the meeting indicate that approximately 135,000 jobs have been directly lost during the war. Even prior to the recent military attacks, following the 12-day war, nearly one million people had exited the labor market, of whom only about 300,000 have returned to formal employment. It has also been reported that around 200,000 new applicants have been added to those seeking unemployment insurance.

According to HRA’s annual report, in 2025, there were reports of delayed or unpaid wages amounting to at least 638 months across 182 industrial and service units, 2,458 cases of dismissals or layoffs and 3,761 workers left in uncertain employment conditions.

International Workers’ Day: A Year in Review of Iranian Workers’ Conditions

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Labor and Guilds, News, Publications
Ahmad Alizadeh, Asghar Amirzadegan, International Workers' Day, Mehran Raouf, Mohammad Hassan Davoudi, Sharifeh Mohammadi

HRANA – May 1st marks International Workers’ Day, offering another opportunity to reflect on the condition of the country’s labor community and their numerous challenges, particularly regarding wages and salaries, unpaid wages, workplace safety, and the right to form labor unions.

According to a report by HRA’s Statistics and Documents Center, based on a review of labor-related reports published over the past 12 months (from May 1, 2025 to April 28, 2026), at least 5,019 workers were reported injured or killed in workplace incidents during this period by media outlets or organizations active in this field.

At least 586 workers lost their lives in workplace incidents during this period. Authorities and relevant institutions reported 284 deaths in 10 official reports, while independent organizations collected and updated 302 additional cases of worker fatalities that had not been mentioned in official statements.

At least 4,433 workers were also injured in workplace accidents. In 9 official reports or statements at national and provincial levels, authorities announced that 3,846 individuals had been injured. In addition, 587 other cases were documented and reported by civil or labor organizations.

Despite the significance of these figures, it should be noted that, due to the lack of transparency in reporting by responsible institutions and officials, the majority of workplace incidents go unreported in the media.

Most workers in Iran operate under conditions lacking job security and adequate insurance coverage. A shortage of inspectors and weak safety infrastructure have created serious challenges in the registration and prevention of occupational accidents.

As shown in the chart below, based on the data collected by HRA’s Statistics And Documents Center, the causes of these incidents are distributed as follows: 20.28% construction-related accidents, 15.91% falls from height, 15.21% struck by hard objects, 11.89% fires, 7.69% mining incidents, 7.17% traffic accidents, 5.94% electrocutions, 3.32% explosions, 2.97% gas poisoning, 2.45% accidents in wells, 2.27% in factories, 2.10% poisoning, 1.05% drowning, 0.52% heatstroke, 0.52% smoke inhalation, 0.52% in petrochemical and refinery sectors, and 0.17% agricultural accidents.

Workplace Accident Categorization Chart
Workplace Accident Categorization Chart

According to data compiled by HRA’s Statistics and Documents Center, at least 613 months of unpaid wages have been recorded across 119 industrial and service units.

Breakdown of Wage Arrears by Sectors

Based on reports collected by this organization’s statistics department, 51% of wage arrears are related to government entities, 25% to private sector organizations, 13% to the energy sector, and 11% remain unspecified.

Estimates indicate a high level of protest activity within the labor community; however, over the past year, only a portion of these protests, specifically 682 labor gatherings and 691 guild-related gatherings, have been reported by media outlets or civil society organizations. Compared to the previous year, guild-related gatherings decreased by 39.6%, while labor gatherings declined by 7.5%.

Among the most significant events in Iran over the past year were protests by workers of the Middle East Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company, the Karkheh Mianab Sugarcane Agro-Industry Company, railway technical and infrastructure workers, the National Iranian Steel Industrial Group, the Qalat Ghareh Oil Company, as well as guild-related protests by teachers, retirees, and Social Security pensioners.

Over the past 12 months, various cities across Iran have witnessed diverse forms of protest actions by workers. A wide range of workers have taken to the streets due to non-payment of their monthly wages and the neglect of their insurance-related demands. Some of these workers have gone on strike and protested after going as long as 30 months without receiving their pay. In total, 383 labor strikes and 39 guild-related strikes took place. Labor strikes decreased by 72.1%, while guild-related strikes declined by 43.4%.

Workers’ ability to organize in Iran to pursue their demands faces legal challenges and state repression. Repression, obstruction, and the refusal to recognize the rights of trade unions and independent labor organizations, along with the imprisonment and issuance of prison sentences for several labor activists, as well as restrictions on the right to protest, have contributed to the fragmentation and disorganization of some labor gatherings and protests.

In Iran, labor organizations do not exist in the conventional global sense, and independent groups such as the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate, the Coordinating Council of Teachers’ Union Organizations, and the Free Union of Iranian Workers face security and political charges.

Many workers have been arrested or sentenced on charges such as organizing peaceful gatherings and protesting low wages. Over the past 12 months, at least 10 workers and labor activists have been arrested. Among the most notable cases are the arrests of several workers from the Isfahan Steel Company and five workers from the Middle East Sugar Factory in Shush.

It is also worth noting that Sharifeh Mohammadi and Mehran Raouf are among the prominent labor activists currently imprisoned, alongside union activists such as Asghar Amirzadegan, Ahmad Alizadeh, and Mohammad Hassan Davoudi.

In addition, one can point to the sentencing of two labor activists to a total of 75 months of discretionary imprisonment and fines amounting to 30 million tomans, two cases of self-immolation, the trial of two individuals, the summoning of nine individuals to judicial and security authorities, the closure of 10 factories, 2,922 cases of dismissal and workforce reduction, 114,954 cases of unemployment, 839,953 instances of workers lacking insurance coverage, and 3,806 cases of employment uncertainty.

Furthermore, in the area of unions and union/guild activities, a total of 40 arrests of union activists, 317 months of discretionary imprisonment and 3 months of suspended sentences, 24 cases of deprivation of social rights, 148 lashes, fines totaling 359.1 million tomans, and 120 months of internal exile for 67 union activists were reported. Additionally, there was 1 case of travel ban, 16 trials in judicial authorities, 43 summonses to judicial-security bodies, 195 cases of business closures (sealings), 18 cases of dismissal and workforce reduction, at least 105 months of unpaid wages, 407 cases of forced retirement, 8 house searches, 4 sentence enforcements, 2 cases of physical assault, and 1 case of self-immolation.

Over the past year, teachers and education sector workers, both active and retired, across various cities and provinces in the country staged protest gatherings and strikes in response to the failure to address their demands. In total, 40 gatherings were recorded. Over the past year, 32 cases of arrest, 37 summonses, 16 trials in judicial authorities, 4 instances of sentence enforcement, 18 cases of dismissal, workforce reduction, and bans from teaching, as well as 7 cases of forced retirement among teachers, were documented.

Additionally, 64 teachers and activists in this field were sentenced to a total of 269 months of discretionary imprisonment and 3 months of suspended sentences, 74 lashes, 23 cases of deprivation of social rights, and fines amounting to 359.1 million tomans.

The head of the National Association of Union Organizations of Construction Workers reported a worsening state of uncertainty and deteriorating living conditions for this group due to wartime circumstances. Akbar Shokat stated: “The most important issue for construction workers is employment. Many of them work on a daily wage basis and rely on just a few days of work per week to cover their living expenses. However, under current conditions, even these limited opportunities have declined, and their livelihoods are facing serious challenges. Wartime conditions have led to the closure of many workshops, and rising prices—especially in the steel sector—have further reduced employment in this field.”

A workers’ representative in the Supreme Labor Council announced that the cost of a basic livelihood basket for a worker’s household this year has reached approximately 40 to 45 million tomans per month, while the minimum income of workers is around 15 million tomans. This highlights a significant gap between income and living expenses. According to Mohammadreza Tajik, to bridge this gap, the minimum wage would need to increase by 17 million tomans to reach around 31 million tomans. Even with a 100% wage increase, workers’ livelihood problems would not be fully resolved, and wage-setting should be based on preserving purchasing power rather than merely percentage increases.

The executive secretary of the Workers’ House in Rey, referring to the sharp rise in healthcare costs and deficiencies in the supplementary insurance of the Social Security Organization, stated that in recent months, increasing imposed and unlawful medical expenses have become a problem worse than the illness itself for many retirees and workers. Mohammadali Torkashvand added that the ability to pay for medical expenses has become impossible for many. He further noted that the “Obligation Plan” of the Social Security Organization, one of its core responsibilities, has not been properly implemented for years. If properly enforced, there would be no need for supplementary insurance, and many healthcare-related problems of retirees would be resolved.

The executive secretary of the Workers’ House in Qazvin stated that today, workers remain hungry despite working double shifts. Wages are not aligned with current inflation, and with daily price changes, 70 to 80 percent of workers’ income is spent on food. Eydali Karimi added that housing allowance is only 900,000 tomans, while in many cases, an entire worker’s salary is spent on rent. Workers and retirees are also under severe pressure from medical costs, with even a simple surgery now costing over 100 million tomans.

Ali Moghaddasi-Zadeh, head of the Coordinating Council of Islamic Labor Councils of South Khorasan, stated that in mining cities such as Tabas and Eastern Alborz, there are still no Social Security hospitals. According to him, this has forced mine workers, who earn very low wages, to bear heavy medical costs in public and private hospitals in the event of accidents. Moghaddasi-Zadeh identified the main cause of this situation as the “existing Social Security law,” explaining: “According to current regulations, a dedicated hospital will not be built until the number of insurance booklets reaches 100,000, whereas in Tabas alone, at least 11,000 workers and their families require insurance services.” He emphasized that this law must be revised so that workers can access Social Security healthcare services in their place of residence.

The prohibition of child labor and the provision of free education for children, the establishment of the highest safety standards in work environments, and the removal of discriminatory laws against women and migrant workers are among the key demands of the labor community.

Despite being described as the cheapest labor force in the country, Iranian women workers face worse employment conditions than men and receive fewer legal protections, rights, and benefits.

At the same time, women workers have less bargaining power compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, production and industrial units show less willingness to hire married women, and in some cases employ single women under commitments not to marry or become pregnant.

The situation of women workers in small workshops is significantly worse. Women make up half of the workforce in brick kilns, where they work under extremely harsh conditions.

In Iran, International Workers’ Day arrives at a time when the privatization of factories and state-owned companies continues without regard for the long-term interests of workers, a trend that has led to widespread labor protests.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work: One-Year Statistical Report on Workplace Accidents in Iran

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Labor and Guilds, News, Publications
Borkhar, Fariman, HRANA, ILO, Nahroudbar, Razavi, World Day for Safety and Health

HRANA – On the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the Human Rights Activists in Iran have examined the situation of workplace accidents caused by unsafe environments or working conditions over the period from 3 May 2025 to 27 April 2026.

According to data compiled by the organization’s statistics department, during this period, at least 586 workers lost their lives and at least 4,424 workers were injured due to workplace accidents resulting from unsafe environments or working conditions.

In 2003, the International Labour Organization (ILO), after extensive review, designated April 28 as World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The aim is to raise awareness about occupational safety and health, with an emphasis on preventing workplace accidents and diseases. In effect, it is an international campaign highlighting the importance of improving workplace safety and its impact on reducing work-related fatalities. Accordingly, governments are required to develop systematic policies and programs to monitor and enforce compliance with occupational safety and health regulations. It is also noteworthy that since 1996, labor unions worldwide have marked this day as a global day of remembrance for workers killed or injured on the job.

According to HRA’s Statistics And Documents Center, based on reports published over the past 12 months, the deaths of at least 586 workers due to workplace accidents linked to unsafe conditions have been reported by media outlets or relevant organizations.

In addition, 4,424 cases of work-related injuries have been reported and compiled by the organization’s statistics department.

Among the most tragic and notable incidents of the past year are: the deaths of 9 workers in a fire at an industrial workshop in Borkhar, located in Isfahan province; the poisoning of 17 workers by carbon monoxide gas in a cold storage facility in Fariman, Razavi Khorasan Province; the death and injury of 13 workers in a fire at the Kaveh Methanol Petrochemical plant; and the death and injury of 3 miners following a coal mine collapse in Nahroudbar, located in Mazandaran Province.

Based on the data collected by HRA’s Statistics And Documents Center, the causes of these incidents are distributed as follows: 20.28% construction-related accidents, 15.91% falls from height, 15.21% struck by hard objects, 11.89% fires, 7.69% mining incidents, 7.17% traffic accidents, 5.94% electrocutions, 3.32% explosions, 2.97% gas poisoning, 2.45% accidents in wells, 2.27% in factories, 2.10% poisoning, 1.05% drowning, 0.52% heatstroke, 0.52% smoke inhalation, 0.52% in petrochemical and refinery sectors, and 0.17% agricultural accidents.

Workplace Accident Categorization ChartWorkplace Accident Categorization Chart

War-Driven Industrial Damage Fuels Unemployment Crisis for Workers Across Multiple Provinces

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Labor and Guilds, News
Bushehr, HRANA, Khuzestan, post-war Unemployment, Tehran

HRANA – Following the recent military attacks, workers employed in various industrial sectors, particularly in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan, and Bushehr, have been facing unemployment, lack of access to relevant insurance coverage, and other challenges.

According to HRANA, citing ILNA, the spread of unemployment caused by the war has been more visible in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan, and Bushehr than in other parts of the country.

The report states that with the outbreak of the recent war, many of the country’s production and service units suffered serious damage. Some of these units were directly targeted by airstrikes, while others were pushed into crisis by the war-driven economic conditions. This crisis led to a significant rise in the number of unemployed people, workforce reductions in various units, business stagnation, and consequently a several-fold increase in unemployment insurance applicants across different provinces. Tehran, Khuzestan, and Bushehr are considered among the principal economic victims of the war, and the expansion of war-related unemployment has been more tangible there than elsewhere in the country.

Akbar Ghorbani, Executive Secretary of the Workers’ House for West Tehran and a labor market expert, said in this regard: some factories in Tehran Province, especially in western Tehran, which has always been highly industrially active, still have not resumed operations after the Nowruz holidays. He added that the Workers’ House remains in contact with its representatives and is monitoring workforce reductions in small, medium, and large units. According to him, one well-known company in western Tehran reported laying off 10 to 12 workers in each unit. Most of these layoffs are due to the current economic conditions. This has led to two major demands from the government and the Social Security Organization: first, strengthening the unemployment insurance fund with government credits, and second, assisting units directly and indirectly damaged by the war, while also imposing strict oversight to preserve the labor market in the country’s industrial units.

The labor relations expert further emphasized that there are also other cases in which the reason for the shutdown of industrial units is the employer’s exploitation of the existing conditions. Some employers, due to a particular economic outlook and fear of wartime conditions, have taken steps to reduce staff. Some employers have also carried out layoffs to increase pressure on the workforce, avoid wage payments, and evade compliance with this year’s wage increase resolution.

The report further cites Ghorban Darvishi, Executive Secretary of the Workers’ House in Khuzestan Province and a member of the Abadan Social Security Retirees’ Association, who pointed to the province’s problems during wartime and the ceasefire period. He said that in Khuzestan alone, at least 35 major production units were recently lost after military attacks. Most of these attacks targeted the Imam Port Special Economic Zone, the Mahshahr region, and the petrochemical sector. Khuzestan Steel and Oxin Steel also sustained damage. According to their estimates, if the problems caused by these layoffs are not managed, between 50,000 and 55,000 people could become directly unemployed due to the attacks and the economic and industrial pressures on the province.

Darvishi added that some of the province’s steel industries had already been facing serious difficulties even before the twelve-day war, and many workers had been staying home while still receiving wages. He warned that 100,000 unemployed people in one province means turning 100,000 sources of Social Security income into expenses for the fund. These industries urgently need immediate, out-of-turn unemployment insurance support. He also noted that some industries, due to falling sales and disappearing demand, had implemented widespread layoffs, the number of which may even exceed the directly war-related unemployment figures. This number also excludes construction workers in the province, a significant portion of whom have become completely unemployed. He stressed that many employers in units not directly damaged say they are unable to pay workers’ insurance and salaries even at last year’s rates.

Layoffs After Contract Expiration in the Second Phase of the Ilam Gas Refinery Project

According to ILNA, contract workers in the second phase construction project of the Ilam Gas Refinery in Chavar County reported the layoff of about 150 local coworkers from the beginning of Mehr last year up to the present. In this unit, located in Chavar County, around 350 workers are employed under the responsibility of the contractor company Jahanpars, and since the beginning of Mehr last year, more than 150 of them, who are local to the county, have become unemployed after the end of their employment contracts.

The report quotes one of the project’s contract workers as saying that 58 workers were laid off in Mehr last year, 52 at the end of Esfand, and 42 in Farvardin this year, all after their contracts expired. The worker also stated that some laid-off workers have still not received their wages for Bahman and Esfand of last year. The status of these workers’ unemployment insurance is also unclear. Meanwhile, the remaining coworkers are worried about their own job security.

This contract worker said that the layoffs are taking place even though at least three to four years remain until the completion of the second phase of the Ilam Gas Refinery project, and the parent employer appears to feel no obligation toward the workers. It is also unclear which authority or institution should be approached to pursue this issue.

Teachers’ Union Activist Mohammad-Ali Zahmatkesh Arrested

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Fars Province, Mohammad Ali Zahmatkesh, Mohammadali Zahmatkesh, Shiraz, Teachers union activist

HRANA – Yesterday, Tuesday, April 14, Mohammad-Ali Zahmatkesh, a teachers’ union activist in Fars Province, was arrested by security forces in Shiraz.

According to a report by the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Mohammad-Ali Zahmatkesh was arrested in Shiraz. Based on this report, the arrest of this teachers’ union activist took place yesterday, Tuesday, April 14, at his private residence by security forces.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest or his place of detention.

Zahmatkesh had previously been arrested and convicted due to his union activities.