Iran’s strike paralyses main Tehran-Isfahan highway

Iranian gasoline tanker truck drivers on strike in southern Iran’s Fars province, May 23, 2018. (IRIB)

June 1, 2018

Many Iranian cities are reeling following the truck drivers’ strike which has paralyzed the country, adding to Iran’s ongoing economic woes.

The video which is being circulated on social media shows the main highway between the two most important economic centers in the Islamic republic – the capital Tehran and Isfahan, the second largest city – whose roads were empty of trucks.

The strike expanded to 242 cities in 31 Iranian provinces. The truck drivers were also joined by van drivers and cab drivers in Kermanshah and Buchan.

In the beginning, security forces and through its social media platforms threatened the striking drivers with fines, demanding a halt to their action, but despite that the massive strike continued till Thursday with no signs of ending.

The strike came as the United States imposed new sanctions against Iran.

After the wave of protests across the country, the spokesman for the Iranian judiciary said on Sunday that “the security forces will face the turmoil that can be exploited by the United States and other enemies.”

Drivers are demanding a 40 percent increase in transportation costs, a reduction in the cost of motor insurance and spare parts, but authorities have agreed to raise transport fees by 20 percent only and failed to halt the strike.

Al Arabiya