The internal problems in Iran continue to emerge. It seems that the authorities were surprised by the outbreak of a strike at one of the most important sites for the country's economy - the South Fars gas field and they rushed to suppress it at the beginning.
According to reports, the Revolutionary Guards arrested eight people who allegedly led a workers' strike demanding improved wage conditions, local media reported yesterday. The authorities said that the detainees received instructions from "foreign authorities".
About 40,000 people are employed in the gas field, which is one of the largest in the world and is divided between Iran and Qatar. It is the main source of gas supply to the local market.
While official inflation in the country hovered around 46% last year, the pace of salary increases lagged far behind, which leads to growing dissatisfaction among the employed in Iran.