Teachers Strike Widens Across Iran

Teachers and school staff in several cities across Iran continued their strike for the second day on Monday amid a security forces crackdown. 

Reports obtained by IranWire from the Kurdish provinces of Iran indicate that, despite the threats from the security forces, protest rallies went ahead in schools across the country.

The Coordinating Council for Teachers Union reported that schools, mainly in predominantly Kurdish cities, heeded its call to boycott classes for two days in protest over the deaths and arrests of students.

Iran’s judiciary has claimed that a student at the University of Tehran took his own life, and Mizan news agency reported that the student sent messages before hanging himself inside the campus.

School students across the country have joined the nationwide protests in recent days, leading to clashes with teachers and ultimately security forces, who have arrested some they suspect of having taken part in the demonstrations.

Videos shared on social media showed protests in dozens of cities across Iran early on Sunday with hundreds of schoolgirls and university students participating despite the threat of arrest.

School students apparently pose a major challenge to the political establishment in Tehran. Security and intelligence agencies are now considering how to suppress crowds of children calling for their freedom as they join the biggest demonstrations in Iran since 2019.

Strikes were reported on Monday in Juanrud, Marivan, Saqqez, Nene village of Marivan, Aichi village of Saqqez, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Baneh, Mahabad, Kamiyaran, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Lahijan, Neishabur, Bandar Anzali, Miandorud, Mazandaran and Sarovabad.

The ongoing protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in hospital on September 16, three days after the morality police arrested her for allegedly wearing a hijab too loosely.