The truck drivers in over 300 cities across Iran have been continuing their nationwide protests for over two weeks now. Strikes, protests and the all-out uprising in Iran has transformed into an ongoing movement, placing its impacts on the country’s political spectrum on a daily basis.
During the past few days, despite threats and other measures resorted to by the authorities, and despite the fact that over 170 protesting drivers have been arrested, in addition to all the difficulties for those bravely joining this strike, the courageous truck drivers of Iran are continuing their protest movement, showing no sign of succumbing to the regime’s demands.
This strike, following the major Dec/Jan uprising across the country, and the major protests witnessed in August, is the third round of a nationwide movement engulfing the entire country in the past eight months alone.
It is worth noting that workers, teachers and other employees of various branches of Iran’s society are legally forbidden to establish their own independent syndicates or unions. Despite this important shortage, we continue to witness the truckers launch yet another round of nationwide protests in the past five months, protesting the plundering witnessed by the regime’s authorities.
Iranian regime officials are seen resorting to threats, intimidation and crackdown, in their attempt to canvas this issue as a security matter that shakes the regime’s pillars and demands drastic measures by the authorities to put down this movement.
Kavous Mohammadi, a police deputy of Fars Province in south-central Iran, described the protesting drivers on strike as “disruptors” of order. In a TV interview aired on September 29th, he went on to say that 22 drivers were arrested for disrupting order and security in the country’s roads.
Head of the so-called judiciary in Fars Province has accused the protesting truckers of “corruption on Earth,” a vaguely worded accusation that can be interpreted to pursue the regime’s interests.
These measures, again, have failed to cause any fear among the courageous truck drivers.
The truck drivers’ strike has gained the support of international bodies, including the International Transportation Workers Federation (ITF) that has voiced extreme concerns over the arrest of the protesting drivers. ITF specifically expressed its solidarity and announced that it stands alongside Iran’s drivers in their struggle to realize their rights.
This new round of the truck drivers’ protests has significantly highlighted a few specific characteristics, including:
* Protests and strikes by people from all walks of life has transformed into a political-economic crisis directly targeting Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
* The truckers’ continuing strike enjoys the support of farmers, teachers, and college students. Many people across Iran feel sympathy with the truckers, understanding the pains they’re going through.
* Poverty has spread throughout the society at such a rate that people literally feel they have nothing to lose.
* The ruling regime can no longer provide for the public’s needs and cannot take any steps forwards.
As a result, the regime’s resorting to threats, intimidation, arrests and even possible executions will no longer downgrade the protests seen launched by truck drivers today and people from all walks of life throughout Iran.
(Source: PMOI/MEK)
