he Water Crisis: The Sun Proves the Watering Can / Nikahang Kowsar

Perhaps no object better illustrates water governance and management in Iran than the “aftabeh” (watering can). It is unclear exactly to which monarch’s era the historical origins of the aftabeh go back, but the mere mention of it brings to mind, for many, the image of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini—a photo taken months before his return […]...

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Femicide in Iran: Unequal Law, Violent Structures, and the Cycle of Impunity / Maryam Hosseini

Femicide in Iran is a crisis phenomenon that reflects deep gender inequalities, legal gaps, and a culture of male dominance. The increase in the number of women being murdered, along with the absence of a strong legal framework that specifically addresses the killing of women based on gender, has raised concerns that some of these […]...

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In Memory of “Ahmad Baledi,” the Ahwazi Student Who Self‑Immolated / By Motehareh Jafari

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Hassan Sadeghi: The Government Is Social Security’s Biggest Debtor/ Pedram Tahassoni

In recent years, as the shadow of crisis has grown heavier over the country’s pension systems, conversations with those who have spent their lives working in this field have become all the more vital. The social security system, as one of the main pillars of social justice and economic sustainability, reflects—both in Iran and elsewhere—the […]...

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Mehdi Pazouki: The Business Operations of Pension Funds Are the Greatest Managerial Mistake/ Ali Kalaei

While signs of bankruptcy among Iran’s pension funds are appearing one after another, and their financial burden increasingly weighs on the national budget each year, the need to discuss the causes and consequences of this situation is more urgent than ever. Peace Mark Monthly Magazine, in this regard, conducted a candid interview with Dr. Mehdi […]...

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The Authoritarian Legacy for a Future Democracy/ Majid Shia’ali

In recent years, experts in various fields have spoken of deeply rooted crises in Iran. Among these are crises stemming from conflict with nature, such as the drying of lakes and rivers and, as a result, land subsidence in various regions to the extent that the habitability of this land is seriously endangered. On one […]...

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Pension Funds in the Strait of Trust and Obligation/ Amir Javaheri Langroudi

In recent years, the condition of pension funds—especially the Cultural Workers Reserve Fund and the performance of the Social Security Organization—has attracted the attention of many researchers, social activists, and fund members. The importance of this issue is evident not only in theory but also in practice, as its crisis-inducing consequences directly and significantly impact […]...

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The Bankruptcy of Pension Funds and Wage Arrears/ Sina Yousefi

In recent decades, the country’s pension funds—especially the Civil Servants Pension Fund, the Social Security Organization, and the Armed Forces Pension Fund—have faced a deep structural crisis. This crisis stems from chronic imbalance between resources and expenditures, unprofessional policymaking, and weak corporate governance in managing these institutions. The share of public budget contributions to cover […]...

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Pension Funds: From the Dream of Security to the Crisis of Reality/ Morteza Hamounian

During the Roman Empire, soldiers received money or land after completing their service. That is, when a soldier ended his military duty and was to be discharged with honor, he was granted a payment and sometimes a plot of land. A similar system existed in ancient China and Greece. Later, during the Middle Ages, guilds […]...

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Retirees’ Accounts of Life with Inadequate Pensions/ Azar Taherabadi

Pension funds in Iran have been struggling with financial crises for years—a crisis that has now reached the brink of bankruptcy, leaving millions of retirees facing fear and economic instability. According to official data, the Civil Servants Pension Fund (CSPF), the Social Security Organization, and the Armed Forces Pension Fund cover a significant portion of […]...

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The Pension Crisis in Iran Through a Global Lens/ Ahmad Alavi

Pension funds, as the cornerstones of social security systems, play a key role in ensuring economic security, reducing poverty, and strengthening social cohesion. However, inefficiencies in these funds can lead to economic instability, increased inequality, and erosion of public trust. In Iran, pension funds such as the Civil Servants Pension Fund and the Social Security […]...

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Generation of the 1980s: Hard Yesterdays, Harder Todays, Vanished Tomorrows/ Fereshteh Goli

In Iran, pension funds are financial-social institutions established to provide for individuals during old age and retirement. Their mechanisms rely on collecting insurance premiums from the workforce (employees and employers) and investing these funds, so that monthly pensions and other legal benefits can be paid to retirees. In essence, these institutions operate based on an […]...

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