Iran Protests Erupt Across the Country Over Executions, Water Crisis, Poverty, and Repression

On April 29, 2025, Iran witnessed a fresh wave of nationwide protests as citizens from diverse sectors and regions rallied against what they described as systemic injustice, economic mismanagement, and government repression. From Khuzestan to Tehran, Zanjan to Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, demonstrators demanded urgent changes, accountability, and basic rights.

In Tehran, patients suffering from immune deficiency disorders staged a protest in front of the Food and Drug Organization, citing shortages and the high cost of IVIG, a critical medication. Despite repeated demonstrations, the crisis persists, and protesters say government pledges have gone unfulfilled.

Marking the 66th week of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, families of political prisoners condemned to death gathered once again outside Evin Prison in Tehran, demanding an end to what they called “cruel and unjust executions.” The demonstrators held up photos of 10 prisoners facing imminent execution, including Vahid Bani-Amarian, Pouya Ghobadi, and Babak Alipour.

Chants of “Stop the executions” and “Down with unjust rulings” echoed in the crowd, with simultaneous protests taking place in Rasht, Boukan, and Shahriar where youth joined the calls for justice.

Inside Evin Prison, female political prisoners on hunger strike held a symbolic protest in solidarity, chanting from the yard:

“We stand together until the death penalty is abolished.”

“Political prisoners must be freed.”

These coordinated protests reflect escalating public anger at Iran’s continued use of the death penalty as a tool of political repression.

In the southwestern city of Dezful, members of the Bakhtiari community gathered in front of the local governor’s office, condemning the judiciary’s refusal to halt the executions of two prisoners, despite the victims’ families having reportedly forgiven them. Protesters demanded an immediate stay of execution, highlighting what they called the regime’s “systemic disregard for justice.”

Tuesday’s multi-front protests highlighted the growing chasm between Iranian citizens and the ruling establishment. From economic despair to judicial repression and basic infrastructure collapse, citizens across sectors and regions are uniting in anger.

In Garmsar and Aradan in the northeastern Semnan Province, farmers escalated their ongoing protests over water rights. With tractors and agricultural equipment lined along roads, they created a symbolic “protest chain” to denounce the government’s mismanagement of water resources, particularly the diversion of water from the Hableh Rud River to government-backed industrial projects.

“Come to our aid!” cried one farmer in frustration. “Our lands are dying, and so are we.”

Farmers accused the regime of corruption and negligence, claiming their access to water has been stolen by state-linked entities, leaving fields parched and livelihoods devastated.

In Ahvaz, retired workers of the state oil industry protested outside the Oil Retirees’ Association in Amanieh, decrying low pensions, rampant inflation, unpaid dues, and government interference in their pension fund. Protesters also paid tribute to victims of the Bandar Rajaei port explosion, using the occasion to voice their anger over systemic mismanagement.

In Zanjan, stakeholders in the Vanak Zangan Housing Cooperative demonstrated outside the provincial governor’s office, protesting a lack of response to their long-standing grievances. Many have reportedly waited years for promised housing with no resolution in sight.

In Yasuj, the capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, frustrated residents protested in front of the governor’s office, condemning the lack of drinking water, safe roads, and healthcare access.

“We are not asking for miracles — just the right to live,” said one villager. “We have no water, no gas, no roads, no hope.”

The protesters accused authorities of offering only empty promises and warned that neglecting such regions fuels growing unrest.

Tuesday’s multi-front protests highlighted the growing chasm between Iranian citizens and the ruling establishment. From economic despair to judicial repression and basic infrastructure collapse, citizens across sectors and regions are uniting in anger.

Source: NCRI, Sedighe Shahrokhi, April 30, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde