Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, Nov. 19, 2018 – Since November 1, Iranian truck drivers in numerous cities started the fourth round of their strikes. The first and foremost demand of the truckers is the release of their colleagues who had been arrested by the Iranian regime’s security forces in the third round of strikes, which took place in September.
In a message addressed to the detained drivers, one of the truck drivers said, “I wanted to declare that, as your brother and a driver, it’s been 8 days that I have parked my truck in homage and respect to those who are now in prison. Our colleagues are now in prison, but those of us in our homes are also imprisoned. In these conditions working is useless, and even if you go to work, your entire income will be spent on paying for the expenses of your car.”
The truck drivers say that despite the 300-percent increase in the price of truck parts, they still haven’t seen any changes to their income. For instance, the price of repairing a gearbox has increased five-fold.
Regarding the price of repair and maintenance, one of the truck drivers said, “We are in full support of the strikes that began on November 1, because none of the promises the government made during the previous round of strikes has been fulfilled. We are still faced with high prices, shortage of tires and spare parts. We will continue the strike until all the imprisoned drivers are released.”
During the third round of strikes, instead of addressing the demands of the protesters, regime authorities arrested some 130 drivers. But the intimidation tactics didn’t prevent Iran’s truck drivers from going on strike for the fourth time.
While truck drivers are struggling to pay for their expenses and make ends meet, Eshaq Jahangiri, the first vice president of the Iranian regime, told the state-run ISNA news agency, “The government is working hard to fulfill the demands of the truck drivers. Truck drivers should bear the current situation for a few more months until with put this period behind us.”
This regime official shamelessly tried to lay the blame for the current situation on the sanctions that came into effect on November 5. But the truck drivers, who are now in the fourth round of their strikes, will no longer be deceived by false promises.
“The country’s transportation system is not concerned about the drivers,” says one of the drivers. “If they were concerned with our conditions, they would’ve given us basic services. The transportation system is only concerned with having its cargo carried. Aren’t they encouraging us to support national production? I bought a tire from Barez Company in March at 3.85 to 18 million rials. Now the price has raised to 90 million rials. These tires are produced in Kerman, aren’t they?”
Several international labor federations and syndicates have voiced their support for Iran’s truck drivers.
The truck drivers’ strikes are taking place in parallel to protest movements in other parts of Iran. Last week, Iran’s teachers held a two-day strike which extended to dozens of cities. They earned wide support from their students and the Iranian population. The farmers of Isfahan are also continuing their strikes and demonstrations in protest to the corrupt policies of the regime and the mismanagement of the country’s water sources, which has lasted for months.
Other ongoing protests include the demonstrations and strikes of the workers of the Haft Tapeh sugar mill company in Shush, southwest Iran, who have been protesting to unpaid wages and poor working conditions for more than two weeks. In Ahvaz, steelworkers are also holding strikes, which has almost lasted a week. The steelworkers to have not received their paychecks in months.
The undeniable truth is that the protest movement of the Iranian people won’t be stopped, and they will continue until they restore their rights. Most of these protests are organized and declared in advance. The Iranian regime tries to prevent the protests by deploying security forces and engaging in intimidation tactics. But these tactics are becoming less effective as time passes. The Iranian people are determined to continue their protests.
