Today, we’re focusing on a critical issue in Iran’s healthcare sector that has been escalating in recent months. Nurses across the country have been speaking out, not only in protests but also through a concerning rise in resignations and emigration.
The situation for Iranian nurses has been dire for years, but this past summer saw a tipping point. Their demands for fair pay, humane working conditions, and an end to mandatory overtime have been ignored by the government for far too long. And with hundreds of nurses leaving every month, Iran’s healthcare system is under immense pressure.
Let’s start with some background. Iranian nurses have been vocal about their working conditions for quite some time. Nursing is a physically and mentally demanding job, but in Iran, it’s taken to another level.
Many nurses are forced to work two consecutive shifts just to make ends meet, only to find themselves still below the poverty line. And then, there’s the chronic shortage of nursing staff.
Iran currently has a severe shortage of nurses—around 100,000 fewer than needed. This gap has led to unbearable working hours for those who remain, which explains the steady rise in emigration. Each year, thousands of nurses seek better conditions abroad. Some reports even state that up to 3,000 nurses have left annually.
These working conditions have a tragic human cost, too. In August, we saw protests erupt after the heartbreaking death of Parvaneh Mandani, a 32-year-old nurse from Fars Province. She collapsed and passed away due to overwork, which the media described as a case of “Karoshi syndrome” or death from overwork—a term more common in countries like Japan but now becoming tragically relevant in Iran.
Parvaneh’s death was a rallying point, sparking protests that spread to at least 50 hospitals across 21 cities. Nurses demanded fair wages and protested the mandatory overtime, sometimes covering shifts that left them responsible for up to 50 patients at once.
Beyond the heavy workload, the lack of medical supplies, like basic serums, has left nurses scrambling to do their jobs effectively. Many have shared stories of patients’ families blaming them for these shortages—a heartbreaking added stress to an already overwhelming role.
And the demands go beyond overtime and basic equipment. Nurses are asking for the implementation of the Nursing Services Tariff Law, passed back in 2006, which should standardize pay according to workload and performance. This law has remained mostly ignored. Additionally, nurses have requested benefits that are typically given in hazardous roles—like early retirement after 25 years—but these, too, have been denied.
It’s become clear that this lack of support from the government has pushed nurses to a breaking point. As of last year, about 1,590 nurses resigned from their jobs—significantly outpacing the emigration rate, which is alarming. In fact, resignations are estimated to be two to three times higher than the number of nurses who leave the country. And in just one month, more than 200 nurses left Iran, underscoring the urgency of this crisis.
In late September, the Iranian parliamentary Health and Treatment Committee finally took notice of these escalating resignations and emigration rates. They acknowledged that forced overtime for nurses is actually illegal, violating a previous ruling from the Administrative Justice Court. This was a key issue, but so far, there’s been no meaningful change or compensation.
Right. The government’s inaction has compounded the issue further. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nurses were brought in under temporary contracts and never given the permanent status they were promised. Now, these nurses face job insecurity alongside low wages and long hours. It’s worth noting that most nurses in Iran are women, making up 70% of the workforce. They’ve been systematically underpaid, silenced, and, in many cases, outright threatened.
Despite this, the nurses have stood firm in their demands. They’ve been calling for a minimum income that would at least keep them above the poverty line and for a cap on overtime hours at 80 per month. It’s essential to point out that overtime pay is shockingly low, currently less than 50 cents per hour. Nurses who risked their lives during the pandemic have now been left to fend for themselves with almost no financial support.
Public sentiment seems to be with the nurses, though. The Iranian public is increasingly recognizing that these protests are about more than wages; they’re about the quality of healthcare available to everyone. The head of the Iranian Nurses’ House even stated this is the first time in a century that nurses have gone on strike in Iran—a measure they wouldn’t have taken unless absolutely necessary.
You’re right. It’s a testament to how desperate the situation has become. Even international human rights standards like those set by the International Labor Organization and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights are being violated. These agreements guarantee the right to protest and form independent unions, but in Iran, nurses face severe repercussions for doing so.
It’s hard to say where things will go from here, but one thing is certain: these resignations and the increasing number of nurses leaving the country signal a healthcare crisis in the making. If the Iranian regime continues to ignore their demands, the impact on the healthcare system—and the health of the Iranian people—could be devastating.
Thank you for joining us today on the NCRI Women’s Committee Podcast, where we’ve delved into the struggles of Iran’s nurses—a story that truly deserves the world’s attention.
