Nurses and healthcare workers in multiple cities across central Iran, including Isfahan, Qom, and Kashan, held protests on Saturday demanding better wages and improved working conditions.
The demonstrations, sparked by ongoing frustrations over insufficient pay and forced overtime, took place despite heightened security pressures and the recent crackdown on the movement's leaders.
Protesters in Isfahan gathered before the provincial governor’s office, chanting against inadequate overtime compensation, which amounts to only 0.33 cents per hour.
In Qom, nurses rallied with slogans demanding justice and the recognition of their rights, while in Kashan, demonstrators gathered at Beheshti Hospital protesting mandatory overtime and what they described as a lack of justice following their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally in Kashan, a group of nurses and healthcare workers held a protest rally at Naghavi Hospital, where they chanted slogans such as "We don’t want incompetent officials."
These protests were organized following a call from a coordinating council, which emphasized that nurses’ demands would only be addressed through public demonstrations. The council urged nurses to gather in front of government buildings in various cities, calling for eliminating mandatory overtime and adjusting overtime pay.
Iran’s new Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi recently admitted that the government owes nurses a staggering 75 trillion rials (approximately $117 million) in unpaid wages but offered only vague assurances that the payments would be made “as soon as possible.” That amount is a huge sum in Iran where nurses earn just $200 a month.
The Coordinating Council of Nurses' Protests, in its call to action, criticized officials for neglecting the demands of nurses, stating that instead of addressing their grievances, authorities have only made delayed payments in a piecemeal manner, often with tax deductions and meager amounts in select cities and centers.
According to the Coordinating Council of Nurses' Protests, even contract workers were excluded from the already meager back payments, and "humiliating and unequal" compensation practices have only fueled further anger among nurses.
ILNA news agency reported on Wednesday that small amounts of money had been deposited into the accounts of some nurses, but these were far from adequate. According to one nurse quoted by ILNA, she received 1.6 million tomans (around $26), which she described as an attempt to "calm down" the workforce.
The recent wave of protests is part of a broader movement that began in early August, after the death of a young nurse, Parvaneh Mandani, which further fueled anger over working conditions. Nurses in over 40 cities and 70 hospitals have participated in strikes and protests since then, marking one of the largest demonstrations by healthcare workers in recent Iranian history.
As the protests gained momentum, Iranian authorities ramped up their crackdown on these nationwide demonstrations, resulting in multiple arrests of nurses and healthcare workers.
Moreoever, nursing organizations have expressed concern about the increasing migration of nurses from Iran, with around 200 nurses leaving the country each month, according to Mohammad Sharifi-Moqaddam, Secretary-General of the House of Nurses. The economic pressures and demanding working conditions are leading to what Sharifi-Moqaddam described as an exodus of healthcare workers from the country's hospitals.
Currently, Iran has an average of 1.5 nurses per 1,000 people, significantly below the global average of three nurses per 1,000. Many healthcare workers have reported burnout, and the country’s healthcare system is facing growing challenges as fewer people are entering the nursing profession.
His statement, made during a visit by President Masoud Pezeshkian to the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbia Construction Headquarters, came in the wake of weeks of tensions following the killing of Hamas's political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.
Salami justified the attacks by claiming they were in retaliation for strikes on 14 Iranian oil tankers in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean—accusations he placed on Israel, albeit with no evidence.
Since 2019, the IRGC has attacked or boarded numerous commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf region, often claiming that they were Israeli ships.
Salami’s remarks, laden with Tehran's usual conspiratorial tone, stated that Israel's attacks were designed to stymie Iran’s oil exports. However, what Salami left out is that when he refers to “Israeli ships,” these were commercial vessels, not military targets, perhaps partially owned by individuals of Israeli descent. This kind of rhetoric usually accompanies Tehran’s attempts to defend and justify its behavior on the international stage.
Israeli officials have so far remained silent on these claims. Salami’s statements follow a pattern of Iran seizing foreign vessels under dubious pretenses. This includes the seizure of oil tankers, such as the British-flagged Stena Impero in 2019 and, most recently, the Marshall Islands-flagged St. Nikolas in the Gulf of Oman.
Iran’s approach to maritime security seems to hinge on hostage diplomacy. The 2019 seizure of the Grace 1 by British authorities, on suspicion of breaching sanctions by transporting oil to Syria, was met with a retaliatory move by the IRGC, which seized the Stena Impero.
In January, Tehran seized the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker St. Nikolas and also expanded its maritime provocations, attacking the M/V Pacific Gold tanker, registered in Liberia with a drone in the Indian Ocean.
IRGC’s chief commander attempted to justify such actions by referencing sanctions, military threats, or even former US President Donald Trump, whom Salami described as being "no less of a threat than COVID-19."
Iranian officials appear to be concerned about Trump's possible return to the presidency, expecting a tougher policy by Washington than what has transpired during the Biden administration.
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper of the US 5th Fleet earlier made it clear that Iran’s actions “violate international law and pose a threat to maritime security and stability.” Yet, despite these warnings, Tehran seems determined to continue its behavior, using the high seas as yet another battlefield in its ongoing quest for regional dominance.
The resignation came after Shargh daily, a pro-reform newspaper in Tehran, exposed the personal loans, totaling 105 billion rials ($175,000), sparking widespread outrage.
These officials, appointed during President Ebrahim Raisi’s tenure, approved the loans in the final days of his government, bypassing orders from acting president Mohammad Mokhber and president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian. Experts warn that this move undermines investor confidence and further destabilizes Iran’s struggling capital market.
Eshghi personally received the largest share of the loans—27 billion rials ($45,000)—with a lenient 4% interest rate and a 10-year repayment plan. To put this into perspective, an ordinary Iranian worker earns just $200 a month, highlighting the extreme disparity in access to financial resources.
The loans, initially justified by Eshghi as being "in accordance with laws and regulations" approved by the Supreme Council of the Stock Exchange, have been met with skepticism. Eshghi defended the decision, stating, “The claim that the board of directors approved loans for themselves is a big lie." He argued that the council is responsible for determining board salaries and benefits, and the loan amounts were based on official resolutions.
Despite these defenses, critics were not convinced. The scandal has been dubbed the "Eshghi Loan" and sparked backlash across political lines. Conservative political activist Mohammad Mohajeri called out the government’s audacity, stating, “Not only astronomical loans, but also astronomical audacity; this is what corruption did to the Raisi administration!"
Alireza Salimi, a member of the Iranian Parliament, responded on the social network X, writing: "I once mentioned in parliament that Mr. Eshghi is running the stock exchange based on personal whims. He sent a legion of reporters to attack me to whitewash his performance."
Salimi added, "Now it turns out Eshqi has indeed been taking billions in low-interest loans for himself."
One user on X shared a photo of the Tehran Stock Exchange board and commented: "They ask why the stock market is always in the red. Well, maybe if they gave fewer of these loans to board members, the market might turn a bit green."
The incident has further fueled criticism of Iran's broader financial system, which is already under fire for granting exorbitant loans to bank employees and subsidiaries. A recent report by Iran’s Central Bank revealed that in 2023 alone, major banks funneled over 9,100 trillion rials ($1.5 billion) to their own employees and executives, while ordinary citizens struggle to secure basic loans for housing, marriage, or small businesses.
As Iran’s economy crumbles under the weight of corruption, mismanagement and sanctions, the elite continue to enrich themselves, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the burden of inflation, poverty, and unemployment. According to observers, Eshghi’s resignation, while symbolic, may do little to restore public trust in a system marred by “kleptocracy”.
This is not the first instance of Iranian officials abusing their positions or embezzling public funds. In many cases, there has been no follow-up or report on whether they were made to return their illicit gains. Similarly, in this latest case, despite widespread criticism, there has been no discussion of requiring them to repay the loan if it was unlawfully allocated.