Truck drivers across Iran continue rare strike for sixth consecutive day

Truck drivers across Iran continued a rare and prolonged strike for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, demanding better working conditions in a sector vital to the country’s economy.

While labor strikes are permitted under Iranian law, the scale and persistence of this protest are unusual.

The strike, which began in the southwestern port city of Bandar Abbas, has quickly expanded nationwide, with reported stoppages in Isfahan, Shiraz, Tehran Province, and Kermanshah, according to Persian-language media and monitoring groups outside Iran.

Drivers are voicing frustration over surging insurance premiums, low freight rates, high fuel costs, and poor road safety, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Images shared on social media appeared to show rows of idle trucks in major cities, though these visuals have not been independently verified.

The rights group Dadban reported incidents of security forces confronting demonstrators, and the Fars Province prosecutor confirmed the arrests of individuals allegedly blocking roadways.

The state-aligned newspaper Kayhan dismissed the strike as being manipulated by “opportunistic elements,” while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acknowledged the truckers’ critical role in the supply chain and urged the government to address their grievances promptly. Road transport is essential for food distribution across Iran’s vast terrain.