Dozens of Iranian officials travel to Switzerland for an online conference
As Iranians protest rising prices and the government talks about cost-cutting, a group of over 40 officials travel to Switzerland for a two-week online conference.
The group consists mainly of officials from the Ministry of Cooperative, Labor and Social Welfare, including Minister Hojatollah Abdolmaleki himself, as well as several MPs, local media reported.
The 110th session of the International Labor Conference is due to take place in Geneva from May 27 to June 11, meaning the government is prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of euros on flights and accommodation for the delegation, apart from their daily allowances for such an event be visited online.
Several cities across Iran are the scene of protests that began over a week ago in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, sparked by a sudden spike in food prices, and have spread to other provinces.
The protests have quickly adopted an anti-government tone, and protesters often chant anti-authority slogans, including the supreme leader, the president and the ruling clergy. In some cases, protesters have attacked local headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards Basij (IRGC), members of which are often used to repress protesters.
In major cities like the capital Tehran, Mashhad, Zanjan and Shiraz, security forces have maintained a strong presence on the streets, creating an atmosphere of fear and concern.