On Wednesday, May 30, the nationwide strike by heavy vehicles and truck drivers continued for the ninth consecutive day. In some cities, such as Sanandaj (Kurdistan province), taxi drivers also went on strike in solidarity with the heavy vehicles drivers. Strike continued while in the past two days the clerical regime agents tried to break the strike by resorting to repressive measures.
In Doroud (Lorestan province), a number of truckers who refused to load were arrested. In Amirabad (Mazandaran province), repressive forces attacked strikers and arrested some of them. On Monday, hundreds of truck drivers driving from Kovar (Fars province) and intending to join strikers in Shiraz were attacked and dozens were arrested.
In Zarrinshahr (Isfahan province), the anti-riot guards were dispatched to disperse strikers and truckers who had gathered in Vegetable (Tareh Bar) Square. With counter attack of the strikers, they were forced to flee.
In the Eastern Mashhad Cement Factory, striking drivers identified a number of trailers that had loaded, unloaded their cement loads and prevented them from moving.
In Khorramdareh (Zanjan province), state security forces planned to take down the license plates of strikers’ trucks but had to retreat with the resistance of drivers.
Drivers and truckers who have been on strike since May 22 demand an increase in freight rates, a retirement pension with 25 years of service, taking into account the hard work for drivers, reduced insurance costs, reduced extortion of the regime, including tolls or roadside commissions, which the regime agents impose on them at each terminal at will and without specific frameworks, reduced cost of spare parts, the resignation of the chairman of the union of motorists and truckers, and ceasing the repressive measures of police against drivers.
On Wednesday, May 30, Reza Ansari, member of the regime’s parliament from Darab, referred to the continued strike of truck drivers, saying that “as long as we do not eliminate discrimination, drivers are not satisfied … Unfortunately, some freight companies are charged with additional commissions and sometimes secret corruption is formed … The drivers’ insurance rate has doubled recently, which is not fair … “. Speaking to the drivers’ strike, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the regime’s parliament, with respect to the truck drivers strike, said, “the Civil Affairs Commission is addressing the issue, and the National Security Council pursues the issue with the help of various ministries.”
The Iranian resistance calls on the public, especially the courageous young people throughout the country, to work in solidarity with the strikers and support the detainees.
The Iranian resistance calls on all international human rights organizations, labor unions and international transportation agencies to condemn repressive measures against striking drivers in Iran and to take immediate action to release the detainees.
Source » ncr-iran