Retirees in Kermanshah Voice Economic Concerns, Call for Pension Reforms
A gathering of retirees in Kermanshah has brought to light pressing economic challenges, with attendees calling for urgent government action to address pension values and healthcare coverage. The retirees, representing various public service sectors, articulated a clear and unified message regarding their living conditions.
Core Economic Grievances
Participants at the gathering expressed that their current pensions are insufficient to cope with the cost of living, making everyday expenses for housing, medicine, and food increasingly unaffordable.
A retired teacher present at the event stated, “We gave years of sincere service, but today we are living on an income that does not even meet the poverty line. Our request is clear: the real implementation of pension harmonization and a salary increase based on the actual inflation rate.”
Retirees argued that previous measures labeled as “pension harmonization” have been only partial and temporary. They contend that the effects of these limited increases were quickly negated by persistent inflationary pressures.
A Critical Demand: Enhanced Healthcare Services
A significant point of emphasis was the need for improved insurance and medical services. Retirees highlighted that, by law, access to free healthcare is a fundamental right, but in practice, medical costs have risen sharply, and their supplemental insurance is inadequate for their real needs.
A retired healthcare worker said, “We served the people in the health sector for years. Today, we ourselves must pay heavy costs for the most basic medical services. The supplemental insurance is ineffective, and vital medicines are not covered.”
They emphasized their expectation that the government would take immediate action to strengthen both basic and supplemental insurance, ensuring that senior citizens can access medical services without financial worry.
A Unified Front Across Sectors
The gathering was not limited to a single group. It included retired educators, medical sector retirees, and Social Security pensioners. This solidarity demonstrates that livelihood and healthcare concerns are shared challenges for all retirees across the nation.
A Social Security retiree noted, “We have served in different organizations, but we are no different from each other when it comes to livelihood and medical problems. All of us retirees today are grappling with high living costs.”
Local officials from the Kermanshah pension fund have not yet issued a direct response. However, retiree representatives announced they have prepared a formal letter outlining their professional demands, which they plan to send to fund managers and the Plan and Budget Organization.
Key Demands for Action
The letter from the representatives includes the following key points:
- The necessity for a pension increase proportionate to the real inflation rate.
- The full and fair implementation of pension harmonization with active employees.
- Immediate improvement of basic and supplemental insurance services.
- The allocation of a sustainable budget to support retirees.
A National Conversation
The event in Kermanshah reflects a broader national dialogue, as similar gatherings by retirees have been reported in other provinces in recent months. The primary cause of these expressions of concern is the growing gap between income and living expenses.
The gathering on September 2, 2025, underscored that the economic and healthcare challenges facing retirees have reached a critical point. They are calling for pensions above the poverty line, the fair implementation of harmonization policies, and urgent improvements to their insurance and medical services. This event symbolizes the loud voice of millions of retirees across the country who expect the government to realize wage justice and social welfare through practical measures.