Security forces have arrested at least 31 workers of the National Steel Company in Ahvaz, and reports indicate that the workers have continued their protest on Monday despite the heavy presence of the security forces.

In their rally, the workers chanted “Imprisoned worker, we will support you” and “imprisoned workers must be released”.

According to ILNA, the head of IRGC operations in Khuzestan province has said about the arrested workers that only the leaders will be kept in custody, and the rest will be released by the end of the day.

According to reports that Iran International has received, Maisam Ali Ghanavati, Isa Maraei, Amin Alavani, Morteza Akbarian, Tariq Khalafi, Masoud Afri, Jafar Sobhani, Mostafa Abiyat, Gharib Hovayzavi, Hafiz Kanani, Hamed Judaki, Karim Sayahi, and Hamed Baseri, were arrested on Sunday night.

The Free Workers Union of Iran announced that “on Monday morning, special forces escorted the chief of police of West Ahvaz into the steel plant and announced the names of the arrested and threatened all the workers with arrest if they continue their protests.”

Ahvaz steelworkers have been protesting their unpaid salaries for the last 38 days. Some workers warned on Sunday that if their problems are not solved by the end of the week, they will go to Tehran and continue their protests there.

The workers have not received their salaries for several months. They blame the situation on the fake privatization of the company.