Iranian teachers protest in more than 100 cities

TEHRAN: Thousands of Iranian teachers have protested in more than 100 cities against delays in salary and pension reforms, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

The demonstrations on Saturday 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 said 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. Last week, Iran’s parliament said the new system, which has been delayed for more than a decade, will be implemented from the start of the new Iranian calendar year, which begins on March 21. The demonstrators have also demanded that their pensions be aligned with those of other public sector employees.

Protesters moreover 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", during the protests on Saturday, according to the newspaper.