Reports from Iran say several business owners, merchants, and many workers and teachers have gone on strikes across the country on Saturday.

A video obtained by Iran International shows workers at Aidin chocolate factory in Tabriz, northwest of Iran, have gone on strike chanting anti-government slogans in a large demonstration.

As in previous weeks, businesses in the big cities of Kordestan province including Sanandaj, Marivan, Banehand Saqqez also went on strike.

In Bukan, in West Azerbaijan Province people closed their shops to show anger at the brutal crackdown of the Islamic Republic against against protesters.

Nationwide protests schedules for Saturday also got underway around noon, led first by demonstrations in universities.

In another development, The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations called on all teachers and students to refuse to attend classes on October 23 and 24.

The union also asked school principles to participate in the strikes, asking them not to stand against the strikers and resist attacks by the plainclothes agents on students.

During the past days the regime agents have intensified violence against protesting children at schools and arrested teachers and cultural activists.