Report by PMOI/MEK
Iran, July 31, 2018 – These days we are witnessing employees/workers, farmers, store owners, truck drivers and others launching strikes against Iran’s ruling mullahs’ regime. Economic difficulties and poor living conditions are making life a living hell for the Iranian people.
The protests ongoing in Iran, especially since late December and early January of this year has become a platform where people across the country are staging protests and challenging the regime’s rule.
Truck drivers have launched a second round of strikes, now entering its second week and enjoying the support of various branches of society.
Two other strikes are ongoing parallel to the truckers: various railway workers in numerous cities are on strike, along with the country’s powerful bazaar store owners’ branch.
Railway workers in northwest Iran began in the cities and towns of Sharafkhaneh, Salmas, Tabriz, Zanjan & Qazvin.
Similar strikes are seen in the northeast cities of Neishabour and Damqan, and the Lorestan railway in the west.
The second major strike began on Monday when store owners in Tehran began closing their shops, protesting the nosediving currency and high prices of various goods. They witnessed colleagues in the cities of Tabriz, Shahr-e Rey, Karaj, Qeshm and Rasht also close in solidarity.
Dozens of other protests are witnessed in the four corners of Iran, all taking place in parallel nature. This depicts a powder keg society on the verge of a major uprising and demanding sweeping changes prior to ultimate regime change.
Truck drivers have been able to expand their strike to over 125 cities in all of Iran’s 31 provinces. There have only been two or three other such strikes in Iran’s history, and signs indicate fundamental changes are in the making.
The country’s connections and transportation networks being halted to such an extent is quite significant, to say the least.
Tabriz railway employees on strike
These strikes gain even more importance when employees of other critical branches, such as the railways, join the truckers.
Furthermore, other railway workers providing service and maintenance to the network are also voicing dissent. Their strike has the potential of delivering a major blow to the regime’s control over the infrastructure that provides crucial revenue for their belligerence.
Tabriz railway employees on strike – July 30
The strike expanding in the country’s markets, known as bazaars in Iran, will also significantly increase the society’s spirit to stage further anti-government protests.
The mullahs’ regime fully understands the importance of city bazaars launching strikes. Ever since the 1906 Constitutional Revolution the bazaar has played an important role in the Iranian people’s protests.
During the 1906 revolution, bazaar merchants in Tabriz provided crucial support to the freedom fighters. This played a crucial role in the revolution’s successful end result.
The 1979 revolution also witnessed bazaar merchants playing an important role as the merchants turned against the regime.
This is exactly why the mullahs’ regime is extremely concerned and will go the distance to bring an end to any bazaar strike.
