Iranian teachers hold protests over their salaries in more than 100 cities

Thousands of Iranian teachers have protested in more than 100 cities against delays in salary and pension reforms, a local newspaper reports.

The demonstrations yesterday were the latest in a string of rallies by teachers as well as other public sector employees in recent months over the impact of soaring inflation on incomes.

Reformist newspaper Etemad says teachers demonstrated outside parliament in the capital Tehran and in front of education ministry offices in provincial capitals including Isfahan, Shiraz and Mashhad.

The teachers have for months demanded that the government speed up the implementation of reforms that would see their salaries better reflect their experience and performance.

Protesters also called on the authorities to release teachers detained in earlier protests. The educators chanted “The jailed teachers should be freed” and “From Tehran to Khorasan, teachers are in prison,” according to the newspaper.