Reported by PMOI/MEK
Iran, Oct. 8, 2018 – On Monday, merchants in several Iranian cities went on strike and refused to open for business in an extension of ongoing protests against the regime of Tehran. The strike, which was preplanned and widely distributed across social media channels, is in protest to increasing prices and high inflation rates.
Oct 8-Tebriz, Iran-Bazaar merchants are joining the nationwide strike
According to reports obtained by the PMOI/MEK network inside Iran, until noon local time, markets in at least 45 cities had joined the strike. But towards the end of the day the number of cities on strike surpassed the 50 mark.
The protest movement comprises some of Iran’s major cities including in Mashhad, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Gorgan, Zanjan, Baneh, Marivan, Tabriz, Sanandaj, Saqqez, Abadan, Urumiyeh, Zahedan, Arak, Kerman, Isfahan, Qom, Qazvin, and Sardasht.
Oct 8-Tebriz, Iran-Street shopowners join the nationwide strike
In Tehran, the grand bazar (Bazar-e Bozorg), Sirus bazar, Satarkhan and the markets of West Tehran have joined the strike as well.
Oct 8-Saghez, Iran-Bazaar merchants are joining the nationwide strike
Oct 8-Sanandaj, Iran-Bazaar merchants are joining the nationwide strike
Videos obtained from inside Iran show long rows of shops closed down. The merchants’ strikes is happening in parallel to another ongoing strike by Iran’s truck drivers, which has spread to more than 318 cities and all 31 provinces of Iran cities in the past weeks. The regime’s security forces have threatened to punish business owners who go on strike but haven’t been able to contain the intensifying wave of strikes. According to local reports, in Kermanshah, the governor has begged the merchants to reopen their shops, to no avail.
Oct 8-Sanandaj, Iran-shopowners are joining the nationwide strike
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), saluted the truckers and merchants of Iran, and stipulated that “The only solution is to end the mullahs’ tyrannical rule and establish democracy and popular sovereignty.”
The nationwide strikes of Bazaar and truckers is part of the Iranian people’s uprising to topple the mullahs’ regime and achieve freedom and social justice.#IranProtests #IranRegimeChange #IranianTruckersOnStrike
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) October 8, 2018
The nationwide strikes of Bazaar and truckers is part of the Iranian people’s uprising to topple the mullahs’ regime and achieve freedom and social justice.#IranProtests #IranRegimeChange #IranianTruckersOnStrike
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) October 8, 2018
Oct 8-Tabriz, Iran-Bazaar merchants are joining the nationwide strike
In December, economic grievances and government corruption triggered nationwide demonstrations that quickly turned into anti-government protests and demand for regime change. Since then, protests and strikes have continued.
Oct 8-Vakilabad Mashhad, Iran-Street merchants are joining the nationwide strike
After today’s success, the organizers of the strikes called on fellow merchants across the country to join for another round of strikes tomorrow. Recent months have shown that members of different communities and industries across the country are becoming more organized and meticulous in their protests, and their every movement quickly takes on nationwide scale and expansion.
More clips from new cities joining the nationwide Bazaar and merchants strike are provided for viewers