TEHRAN, May 1: A few thousand Iranian workers held a rare protest in Tehran on Monday, using international Labour Day to press demands for more jobs, better contracts and the payment of wage arrears.

The gathering had been organised to show off public support for its disputed nuclear drive but quickly transformed into a protest over economic conditions.

Several people chanted “To strike is our undeniable right!” and “Permanent employment is our undeniable right!” instead of the regime’s current favourite slogan “Nuclear technology is our undeniable right”.

“Under the temporary contracts, there is no job security. You can be fired any minute. And if you complain, employers say ‘take it or leave it’,” 48-year-old Esmail Ramezanzadeh, who works in a cooking oil factory, told AFP.