Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Teachers and Union Members Amid Peaceful Advocacy

Escalation of Repression Against Educators

Iranian authorities have significantly intensified their crackdown on teachers and members of teachers' unions, with at least 45 educators reportedly interrogated, arrested, or sentenced between June and September 2025. This surge in repression targets individuals for their peaceful advocacy and independent union activities, according to findings by the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). The crackdown began at the end of the last school year in June 2025 and has continued into the start of the new academic year in September 2025.

The targeted teachers have been advocating for fundamental rights, including the release of imprisoned colleagues, livable salaries, improved working conditions, and access to free education for all children.

Details of the Crackdown and Specific Cases

The judicial proceedings and security pressures against these teachers have been described as 'completely unlawful' by human rights organizations. The arrests and legal actions have spanned several provinces across Iran, including Kerman, Kurdistan, Gilan, West Azerbaijan, Isfahan, and Tehran, indicating a widespread campaign. Teacher union activists report that numerous additional cases remain open in Iran's courts, with many educators still facing charges related to their peaceful trade union activities.

Notable incidents during this period include:

• In July 2025, elementary school teacher Forough Khosravi was arrested by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence forces in Behbahan, Khuzestan province. She was detained at her home without an official warrant, and her family remains unaware of her whereabouts.
• In the final days of the academic year in June 2025, Iranian courts summoned 16 teacher union activists to face charges. Fifteen of these activists were from Sanandaj in Kurdistan province, and one teacher was from Dezful. The charges against the Sanandaj activists included 'disrupting public order and peace.'

The repression has been particularly severe in smaller towns and Kurdish-populated areas, where authorities have escalated prosecutions following the 2022 'Woman, Life, Freedom' nationwide protest movement.

International Calls and Broader Context

Human rights organizations, including CHRI, have called on international bodies such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNESCO, as well as global teacher associations and unions, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all imprisoned teachers in Iran. The targeting of teachers is part of a broader wave of repression in Iran. Since June 13, 2025, Iranian authorities have arrested over 20,000 people, including dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, and members of ethnic and religious minorities, following hostilities with Israel.

The ongoing persecution of educators highlights the persistent challenges faced by those advocating for fundamental rights and freedoms within the Islamic Republic of Iran.