IRANIAN communists demanded the “urgent and unconditional release” of all jailed workers in the country yesterday following the arrest of members of the steelworkers’ union.

Workers from the National Iranian Steel Industrial Company in the city of Ahvaz were arrested last week after they started a protest rally in the city’s Kian Pars square over months of unpaid wages.

Union of Metalworkers and Mechanics of Iran (UMMI) members had been on strike for 17 days after months without pay, with workers unable to receive healthcare for themselves or their families because of non-payment of social security contributions.

Tudeh Party of Iran international secretary Navid Shomali told the Star that workers had been beaten by the security forces and had been forced into the action by the “Iranian government’s anti-people policies.”

“It is crystal clear that the theocratic regime is incapable of responding to and guaranteeing the legitimate demands of the working class and the working people — hence its recourse to its default of arbitrary arrest and suppression to stop the growth and spread of the protest movement,” he said.

Protests against delayed payments of wages and national insurance contributions began in December. Negotiations brought payment for some workers in March, but the agreement soon broke down, falling back into the pattern of non-payment.

The Iranian National Bank sold the steel company to businessman Abdolreza Mousavi last October in a bid to recover some of its debt, but it has been badly mismanaged, operating at a fraction of capacity.

Workers say machinery has been sold off and it is reported that ownership of the company transferred back to the National Bank last month, though this remains unclear, with Mr Mousavi continuing to attend the plant.

A UMMI spokesman called for the release of all those still held after 46 workers were freed on bail following protests against the detentions.

“We call on the officials and management at the company to engage with the independent trade unions representing the demands of the workers so that the dispute can be properly and swiftly resolved,” the spokesman said.

Mr Shomali said “further protests and solidarity with the goal of linking strikes across the country” would present “a clear challenge to the theocratic dictatorship” and strengthen the labour movement in future political developments.

He called for international solidarity and the urgent and immediate release of all jailed workers in Iran.