Ayatollah Rafsanjani, the head of Iran’s Expediency Council, has officially called on the administration to issue a permit for a march on International Workers’ Day.

On his website, Ayatollah Rafsanjani was quoted as saying in a meeting with labour activists: “The presence of workers is an expression of democracy in that strata of society and a symbol of their loyalty to the Islamic system.”

The Minister of Labour announced on Monday April 28 that International Workers’ Day will be marked indoors at a reception hall on May 1.

ILNA quotes the minister saying the reason for not holding a march is that President Hassan Rohani plans to give a speech at the ceremony.

Alireza Mahjoub, the head of Workers House, has protested the government’s decision not to issue the permit for the May Day march. He added that freedom of assembly is a basic worker’s right according to legislation, adding that there’s no justification for refusing to issue the permit.

Radio Zamaneh