Category: Labor and Guilds

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.

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.

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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.

A Report on the Insurance and Livelihood Problems of Construction Workers Worsened by the War

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Labor and Guilds, News
Construction Workers, HRANA, ILNA

HRANA – In a report on the difficulties faced by construction workers in the country, the Iranian Labor News Agency stated that since the Hijri year 1404, these workers have been confronted with new challenges such as widespread unemployment due to the war, lack of job security, insurance-related problems, and the absence of adequate government support.

According to HRANA, citing ILNA, the country’s construction workers are facing widespread crises. According to the report, in the Hijri 1404 year, construction workers have experienced one of the most difficult periods of their working and living conditions. Over the past year, they have faced worsening problems such as mass unemployment caused by the war, lack of job security, an insurance crisis, and the absence of effective state support.

Many workers have also become unemployed following the reduction or suspension of construction projects because of the war. Given the daily-wage nature of construction work, the shutdown of projects even for a few days can significantly worsen the serious livelihood difficulties faced by these citizens.

The report further points to the failure to allocate sufficient insurance quotas to construction workers and the deprivation of many of their Social Security insurance rights, stating:

“More than two years after the amendment to Article 5 of the Construction Workers’ Insurance Law was passed, and despite officials’ promises to resolve the workers’ insurance problem, the plan has still not reached a satisfactory outcome. Construction workers pay only 7% of the insurance premium, while the remaining 27.5% must be financed through construction levies and employers’ contributions. However, difficulties in securing these resources have disrupted the full implementation of the Construction Workers’ Insurance Law.”

Strict inspections by the Social Security Organization and the termination of insurance coverage are another major problem for these workers. Despite expectations that such inspections would cease following the amendment to Article 5, this has not happened, and in some cases inappropriate treatment of workers has also been reported.

In addition to the above, rising living costs, inflation, and reduced job opportunities have further intensified workers’ livelihood problems, leaving many unable to meet their basic needs.

According to HRA’s annual report, in 1404 there were reports of delayed or unpaid wages amounting to at least 672 months across 188 industrial-service units, 2,457 dismissals or workforce reductions, 658 cases of unemployment, 560 months without worker insurance, 9 factory closures, and 2,259 workers left in limbo in the labor sector.

Reza Amani Far, Teachers’ Union Activist in Bushehr, Arrested

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Labor and Guilds, News
Bushehr, Reza Amani Far, رضا امانی فر

HRANA – Yesterday, Reza Amani Far, a teachers’ union activist in Bushehr, was arrested by security forces in this city.

According to the channel of the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations, Reza Amani Far, a teachers’ union activist in Bushehr, has been arrested. Based on this report, Mr. Amani Far was arrested on Saturday, April 4, 2026, by security forces in Bushehr.

So far, no information has been obtained regarding his place of detention or the charges brought against this teachers’ union activist.

Reza Amani Far, an inspector for the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations and a member of the Bushehr Teachers’ Trade Association, has previously also faced judicial action due to his activities.

Nationwide Protests: Report on the Arrest of 12 Teachers in Various Cities

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Freedom of Expression, Labor and Guilds, News
Ahanali Jahandideh, Amin Brizi, Firooz Brizi, Foruzan Yektaei, Hossein Khaleghi, Mehrdad Faribarzi, Moslem Parvizi, Rahmatollah Khodavandi, Shokrallah Ahmadi

HRANA – Foruzan Yektaei in Rasht; Hossein Khaleghi and Ahanali Jahandideh in Darab; Shokrallah Ahmadi in Nurabad Mamasani; Rahmatollah Khodavandi, Moslem Parvizi, Firooz Brizi, Mehrdad Faribarzi, and Amin Brizi in Zarin Dasht; and Hadi Monfared, Hassan Jafari, and Jafar Taheri in Qir and Karzin were arrested by security forces on January 8 and 9 in connection with nationwide protests. Of these 12 employed and retired teachers, Foruzan Yektaei, Hossein Khaleghi, and Ahanali Jahandideh remain in detention, while the other nine have been released on bail.

Based on this report, on January 8 and 9, Hossein Khaleghi and Ahanali Jahandideh, both retired teachers in Darab; Shokrallah Ahmadi, a teachers’ union activist in Nurabad Mamasani; Rahmatollah Khodavandi (retired teacher), Moslem Parvizi, Firooz Brizi, Mehrdad Faribarzi, and Amin Brizi (teachers) in Zarin Dasht; Hadi Monfared (teacher); and Hassan Jafari and Jafar Taheri (both retired teachers) in Qir and Karzin were arrested by security forces in connection with the January protests. Among these 11 teachers, Hossein Khaleghi and Ahanali Jahandideh remain in detention, while the other nine have been released on bail.

Additionally, Foruzan Yektaei, a teacher residing in Rasht, was arrested by security forces in the city on January 9. Following her arrest, she was transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht and remains there in a state of uncertainty. Despite the family’s follow-ups with security and judicial authorities, officials have so far refused to grant her release on bail.

As of now, no information has been obtained regarding the charges brought against these teachers or the place of detention of Hossein Khaleghi and Ahanali Jahandideh.

Among them, Shokrallah Ahmadi, a teachers’ union activist, has previously faced judicial action due to his activities.

It should be noted that gatherings and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025. After two days, the protests expanded beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these demonstrations became one of the most widespread protests in recent years. Following the suppression of the protests by law enforcement and security forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security institutions. For further information, refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “The Crimson Winter: A 50 Day Record of Iran’s 2025–2026 Nationwide Protests.”

Ahmad Alizadeh Arrested by IRGC Intelligence in Ilam

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Labor and Guilds, News
Abdanan, Ahmad Alizadeh, Fanuj, HRANA, irgc

HRANA – Yesterday, January 28, Ahmad Alizadeh, a high school physical education teacher in Abdanan County, was arrested by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence in Ilam Province and transferred to an undisclosed location.

A source close to the family confirmed the arrest, telling HRANA that Ahmad Alizadeh was detained on Wednesday evening, January 28, 2026, by IRGC intelligence agents without the presentation of a judicial warrant. Following his arrest, he was transferred to an unknown location and has had no contact with his family so far.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges brought against him.

In February 2025, Ahmad Alizadeh had been sent to the city of Fanuj in Sistan and Baluchestan Province to serve a two-year sentence of compulsory residence.

He was previously arrested on October 17, 2022, in connection with the nationwide protests in Abdanan, Ilam Province, by security forces, and was later released on bail.

Ahmad Alizadeh, aged approximately 53, is an employee of the Abdanan Department of Education and a high school physical education teacher with more than 29 years of work experience. He has previously faced arrest and judicial action due to his activities.

Arbitrary arrests, transferring detainees to undisclosed locations, and leaving families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones are routine practices of the Iranian regime’s security agencies, such as the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC Intelligence Unit. This pattern of behavior stands in clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.