Retired workers staged protests over low pensions on Sunday, which they said amount to less than one-third of the poverty line, and voiced frustration over soaring healthcare costs and inequitable pension adjustments.

Demonstrations took place across the country in cities including Tehran in the north, Ahvaz and Haft-Tappeh in the southwest, and Shush in the west, protesters demanding that pensions be raised to align with the poverty line.

Up to 50% of the Iranian population is now living below the poverty line, with retirees on fixed, low pensions among the hardest hit as inflation erodes their already limited incomes and the cost of living continues to rise.

Retirees have staged numerous protests in recent years over low pensions and unmet demands. US-based rights group HRANA reported at least 1,279 protests and strikes in Iran in 2024, highlighting public frustration with worsening economic conditions.