Mahmoud Hakamian

NCRI National Council of Resistance of Iran Thursday, October 31, 2024 NCRI National Council of Resistance of Iran

The latest statistics and estimates on the economic crisis in Iran reveals the helplessness of the ruling regime. What was called a “super-crisis” yesterday is now referred to as “imbalance.” This includes everything from budget deficits and crises in water, electricity, and gas to the skewed ratio of exports to imports, shortages of schools, teachers, and students, as well as the exodus of doctors and nurses from hospitals. These imbalances also include banking issues, income-expenditure gaps, declines in the active workforce, brain drain, inflation, and unemployment. It seems nothing remains but to witness the collapse and decline of the remnants of an ancient and proud civilization.

“Tehran now faces a choice. Individuals, organizations, and governments often encounter complexities when making decisions; at times, they must choose between bad and worse.

In conjunction with the ratification of Iranian regime President Masoud Pezeshkian's budget proposal in parliament, the spokesperson for the government announced that the country's military budget would see a 200 percent increase. She stated, “Every effort has been made to address the country's defense needs, with special attention given to this matter; consequently, the military budget will experience a 200 percent increase.” This increase effectively triples the military budget of the clerical regime.

Where are the billions in Iran's annual budgets being spent, providing no return or benefit in securing housing for most of the country's people? Why don't these vast and astronomical resources, derived from Iran's mineral wealth and treasures, go to these people so they may have safe and stable shelter?

Iran's November 2019 uprising, which is marking its fifth anniversary, has characteristics that set it apart from other nationwide uprisings. Beginning on November 15 and lasting for a week, this uprising sent shockwaves throughout the regime. The uprising began with the sudden state-imposed price hike on fuel and gasoline. The people of Iran, living under extreme poverty and fed up with decades of corruption and tyranny, poured into the streets to protest the regime's destructive policies. The movement soon turned into a nationwide uprising.

On November 17, Iran witnessed widespread protests across various cities, as diverse sections of society, including retirees, healthcare workers, transportation drivers, and small business owners, took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the deteriorating economic and living conditions. These protests reflect the growing public anger over the regime's disregard for citizens' demands and the absence of solutions to the escalating crises.

NCRI National Council of Resistance of Iran Tuesday, November 19, 2024 NCRI National Council of Resistance of Iran

On November 16, retired teachers staged a protest in Tehran, chanting slogans such as, “Our outcry to the Pezeshkian government, shame on you,” “Government officials, have some shame and stop stealing our rights,” and “Oh lying government, where are the results of your promises?”

Thousands of retired teachers, approximately 7,000, convened in Tehran for a significant protest in front of the Iranian regime's parliament on Wednesday, November 20. The teachers protested the unjust implementation of the Teacher Classification Law and the non-inclusion of 90% of the classification perks in retirement pensions.