Iranian nurses assaulted, dismissed after protesting poor working conditions - report

Nurses at Fayazbakhsh Hospital in Tehran were assaulted, detained, and some dismissed or suspended after striking over poor working conditions, Iran International reported. The strike began July 30 over workloads, wages, and shortages. Radio Zamaneh reported protests in Iranshahr and Ilam. The Nurses' Protest Coordination Council cited wage arrears up to 10 months. Dr. Yousef Rahimi called for a special allowance, saying salaries of 25 million tomans are insufficient. Mehr reported a support package under review. Around 5,000 nurses leave the profession annually.

Nurses at Fayazbakhsh Hospital in Tehran, Iran, were assaulted and detained, with some later dismissed or suspended, after staging a strike over poor working conditions, according to a report by Iran International on Tuesday. The nursing staff began striking on July 30 in response to overwhelming workloads, low wages, and severe staff shortages. The outlet reported that many nurses were beaten and detained by authorities and had their mobile phones confiscated. Hospital leadership allegedly suspended and dismissed numerous staff members, though the exact number remains unknown. Radio Zamaneh, an independent Persian-language media platform based in Amsterdam, reported that protests were also held in Iranshahr and Ilam. The Nurses' Protest Coordination Council complained that some nurses' wage arrears had reached 10 months and that little had been done to improve their economic situation. "We are nurses, not slaves, and we will not submit to forced labor," the council said in a statement. Neither Iranian authorities nor the hospital administration have publicly commented. Dr. Yousef Rahimi, first vice president of the Supreme Council of the Nursing Organization, told the Iranian Students' News Agency that he had written to the presidential office demanding additional resources and a special allowance, arguing that current salaries of 25 million tomans do not cover living expenses. Mehr News Agency reported a package under review providing boarding houses, tax exemptions, and increased support. Iran is rapidly developing a nursing crisis, with around 5,000 people leaving the profession annually.