For weeks, Iran has witnessed a surge of protests across major cities, with demonstrators rallying against corruption, unpaid wages, and the steady breakdown of essential public services. From Tehran and Isfahan to Kerman and Ahvaz, the scenes reflect not isolated discontent but a widespread frustration with a system that many Iranians say has failed them at every level. The protests, though diverse in origin, are united by a common grievance: the clerical regime led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which protesters accuse of looting public resources while ordinary people are left to endure growing poverty and insecurity.

In Isfahan and Kerman, crowds of retired steel and mining workers gathered to demand equal pensions and access to healthcare. Many say they dedicated decades of their lives to building Iran’s industries, only to be discarded in retirement. “We carried this country on our backs, and now we cannot afford our medicines,” one retired worker said.

Meanwhile, in the industrial city of Shush and the oil hub of Ahvaz, demonstrators denounced the looting of pension funds, accusing state-linked entities of siphoning billions meant for workers’ retirements. For many, the issue has become personal: the collapse of pension payments has left thousands of families in........

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