This report presents Volunteer Activists' findings on labour conditions in Iran from January to June 2026. It documents a deepening cost-of-living crisis, war-related job losses and worker casualties, record internet shutdowns, and state repression. Labour mobilisation fell to 111 protests but continued in more defensive, adaptive forms.

This publication presents the findings of Volunteer Activists’ (VA) systematic review of labor conditions and worker-led collective actions in Iran between July and December 2025. It forms part of VA’s ongoing biannual reporting on labor developments in the country.

Iran saw 455 labor protests across 34 sectors in 83 cities from January to June 2025, driven by soaring inflation and wage stagnation. The report highlights escalating unrest, intensified by the June Israeli attacks, and tracks legal developments, offering vital insights for policy and advocacy efforts supporting Iranian workers.

Fifth in a biannual series, this brief examines 577 labor protests from July–Dec 2024 across 30 cities, driven by soaring inflation, unpaid wages and an energy crisis. It spotlights pensioners, nurses and oil‑sector workers, details state tactics against activists, exposes dismissal and arrest risks, and pinpoints opportunities for CSOs and donors.