Iran's Labor News Agency (ILNA) reports that twelve protesting workers arrested on Sunday in the city of Shush have been released.

Workers of the Haft-Tapeh sugar mill complex in Shush, southwestern Iran, have been protesting for their unpaid wages and mismanagement of the factory for the last two weeks.

The situation became tense on Saturday when anti-riot police with guns entered the factory compound. Later on Sunday labor 18 leaders and workers were arrested, along with a female reporter.

On Monday, protests continued in the city and in front of the courthouse by people and workers demanding the release of the detainees.

There is no news about the other six workers and the journalist.

Protests continue today in the city and in front of the governor's office in Shush.

On Monday Iran's ministers of economy and labor promised to deal with the demands of the workers.

Labor unrest in Iran has intensified in the past 12 months as the economic situation deteriorates, partly due to threat of U.S. sanctions.

Labor activists also complain that the government has failed to effectively deal with corruption, especially when powerful businessmen buy government enterprises with favorable prices but not make the necessary investments or pay wages regularly.