Latest news with #Isfahan
The National
5 days ago
- Business
- The National
Iran's lorry drivers are unhappy. Their strike could cripple the country
Even as many Iran watchers stay focused on its nuclear talks with the US, the country itself has been gripped by a nationwide lorry drivers' strike over the past week. The unions organising the strike say it has spread to more than 125 cities, including large metros like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. Independent news outlets based outside the country have published reports, images and interviews on the issue. While it hasn't led to a total shutdown yet, the movement has grown considerably since it was announced last Thursday. The unions have regularly put out statements calling for solidarity and reiterating their demands, which include making insurance, fuel and spare parts more affordable. Lorry drivers do receive subsidised fuel, but they say it is not enough to cover all the routes they take. They point to corrupt practices such as drivers with the right connections getting fuel beyond their quotas. They are also demanding better pay to help cover their costs. The strike, in and of itself, might seem to many like a routine call to action. But it has potency when viewed in the context of the broader economic challenges that ordinary Iranians are currently dealing with, including high prices and endemic corruption. With more than 70 per cent of Iran's goods being delivered by road, a prolonged strike could cripple the country. Apart from the economic impact of these protests, authorities also worry about the widespread support lorry drivers have received so far. Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and Nobel laureate, has backed the strike – as has Tehran's Bus Drivers Union, perhaps the most venerable trade union in Iran. On Sunday, a pensioners' rally in the south-western city of Ahvaz featured chants such as 'truckers, we support you'. A crackdown is already in full swing. Many drivers have been arrested in Shiraz, with the city's prosecutor making threats to anyone who joins the strike. There have been detentions in other regions as well; police in the southern province of Hormozgan arrested an individual for a call to strike on the internet. The drivers' unions have condemned these arrests, saying they show desperation on the part of the authorities. The strike has also exposed fissures within the establishment. Some senior officials have pledged to look into the lorry drivers' demands. But vague promises are unlikely to quell the strike The hardliner daily Kayhan has blamed President Masoud Pezeshkian's reformist government for the country's economic problems. In an editorial on Monday, it said the fault for the strike lies with the ministries overseeing roads, industry, oil and agriculture. The editorial also singled out Farzaneh Sadegh, the only female member of Mr Pezeshkian's cabinet, who has often been targeted by hardliners. It didn't help that Ms Sadegh was on an official visit to Iraq just as the strike got under way, with her opponents accusing her of misplaced priorities. But while targeting the current administration for Iran's age-old structural problems might seem politically expedient, such blame games can backfire. In 2017, for instance, hardliners in the north-eastern city of Mashhad staged demonstrations against the centrist administration of Hassan Rouhani – ostensibly over high food prices – in the hope that it would weaken him politically. Instead, they ended up sparking nationwide protests against the broader establishment that is dominated by hardline figures. Authorities, meanwhile, are using the time-tested tactic of pinning the strike on foreign provocations. Some senior officials, such as Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have no doubt pledged to look into the lorry drivers' demands. But vague promises are unlikely to quell the strike, particularly as many lorry drivers point to systemic corruption – including within the establishment – for their problems. Regardless, the government will need to act fast if it wants the strike to end. The drivers' demands won't be easy to meet straightaway, hence a number of organisations both inside and outside government will need to work together. The Ministry of Petroleum will need to provide adequate fuel. The Ministry of Roads and Urban Development will need to make insurance fees more affordable – an onerous task given that increasing the fees has been codified into law. The state will also need to lean heavily on the private sector to raise the drivers' pay. Failing to do any of this could risk the strike getting bigger. One need only think back to 2018-2019, when a similar strike mushroomed into widespread protests before it was brutally suppressed. This time around, however, the government also has to contend with a weeks-long bakers' strike over irregular electricity supply and the aforementioned pensioners' protests. All this leaves Iran's establishment with little option but to act swiftly and positively. The last thing it needs right now, amid all the challenges it faces on so many fronts, is a broader workers' revolt.
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Truck drivers in Iran enter sixth day of rare nationwide strike
Truck drivers across Iran were on Tuesday pressing the sixth day of a strike rare in its length and magnitude, seeking better conditions in a sector crucial for the economy in the Islamic Republic. After starting last week in the southwestern port city of Bandar Abbas, the strike action has spread across the country, according to reports by monitoring groups on social media and Persian-language media based outside Iran. The truck drivers are protesting a rise in insurance premiums, poor road security, high fuel prices and low freight rates, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said. It posted images showing what it said were dozens of stationary trucks in the central city of Isfahan and in Shiraz in the south, while reports also indicated similar actions in Tehran province and Kermanshah in the west. It was not immediately possible to independently verify the images. Strikes do take place on occasion in the Islamic Republic, whose labor law does allow for such stoppages. However this strike is unusual in terms of its duration and nationwide scale. The Dadban rights monitor wrote on social media that there had already been instances of security forces attacking the drivers' protests and cited Kamran Mirhaji, the southern Fars province prosecutor, as saying a number of people 'who prevented the movement of trucks' had been arrested. Iran International TV, based outside the country and often critical of the authorities, broadcast videos it said had been sent from inside the country showing roads deserted that would normally have been packed with trucks. Inside Iran, the hardline daily Kayhan meanwhile lashed out at what it described as 'opportunistic elements' attempting to exploit the situation over the 'economic and professional grievances of the country's road freight operators.' Road transport is critical to food supply in the vast country. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was quoted as saying truckers were a 'key link in the production and supply chain' and urging the government to act swiftly.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man, 23, develops shocking 'dropped head syndrome' after battling addiction to one habit for years
Shocking images have revealed a little-known, devastating effect of heavy drug use — a terrifying condition known as dropped head syndrome. The pictures, published by doctors at the Alzahra hospital in Isfahan, Iran, show a 23 year-old man with an extreme bend in his neck, which developed after several years of substance abuse. The dangerous combination of drugs had caused significant rounding of the spine until the neck could no longer support the head. Dropped head syndrome—also know as floppy head syndrome— is characterised by severe weakness of the neck muscles, and is most commonly associated with neuromuscular disorders, such as motor neurone disease. But doctors now say that the syndrome could be caused by substance abuse. The medics reported that use of amphetamine (also known as speed) triggered what they called a fixed kyphotic neck position, where his chin fell to his chest for long periods of time. He also experienced chronic neck pain and paresthesia—the feeling of tingling, numbness, or pins and needs—in his arms. Whilst the patient had no history of severe neck trauma that could explain his symptoms, he had a significant history of depression and the use of amphetamines, opium and heroin. The doctors noted that prior to this history of addiction, there was no malalignment in his neck. Dr Majid Rezvani, co-author of the case study, said: 'We discovered that drug abuse contributed to the uncommon development of severe complicated cervical kyphosis [excessive rounding of the upper back].' 'The drug does not have a direct effect on musculoskeletal changes', he explained. 'Instead there is an indirect effect: when the patient uses the drug, they remain in a certain position for a long time, and over months this results in musculoskeletal changes that led to kyphoscoliosis'. According to the report, the man suffered with symptoms for over 15 months, which he attempted to treat using herbal remedies, before seeking professional help. Despite this, cranial nerve tests, muscle strengths tests and tests of his autonomic nervous system—which regulates involuntary processes such as heart rate—all came back clear. A CT scan revealed that he had a severely deformed spine. Initially, the patient was placed under general anesthesia, and doctors noted that this appeared to be enough to reduce his neck deformity. However, doctors were unable to correct the patient's neck into the desired position, so a surgical approach was selected. In order to re-adjust the position of the neck, doctors decided to remove the deformed bone and used a locking cage to support the neck. The surgery was successful and no neurological symptoms were observed. His limb strength was also 100 per cent. The day after surgery the patient was able to walk with the support of a hard collar, which he consistently wore for three months. The 23-year-old attended therapy and rehab after his surgery, which has enabled him to overcome his drug addiction. He has since had a follow-up appointment at the hospital in Iran and doctors are satisfied that the correction of the spine was effective. Doctors working on the case have now proposed the term 'intoxicated syndrome' for patients presenting with these symptoms. Those affected by the issues raised in this article can seek confidential help and support via Talk to Frank.
The National
12-05-2025
- General
- The National
Tiles from 17th-century Iranian palace to go on display in Scotland
Rare tiles from a 17th-century Iranian palace in Isfahan will go on display for the first time in a generation at a new exhibition at the V&A Dundee. The panel dates from the reign of Safavid ruler Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) and originally decorated the wall of his private hammam (bathhouse) within the now-demolished Haft Dast Palace in Isfahan, central Iran. The 4.5-metre wide tiles depict a garden paradise with fruit trees, flowering plants, and an ornate blue and yellow border. Among its details are pomegranates, flower species accurate down to their horticultural usage and climbing gourds that wrap around fruit-bearing trees. James Wylie, project curator at V&A Dundee where the items will go on display this month, explained the significance of this "masterpiece" of Safavid art. "This extraordinary tile panel from ancient Iran is a stunning embodiment of the garden as a symbol of power, paradise and cultural identity," he said. "We are thrilled to display it at V&A Dundee for the first time in over two decades, following its meticulous conservation by our colleagues at National Museums Scotland [NMS]. "Including this rare treasure in the exhibition expands the story well beyond contemporary design, offering a rare glimpse into the universal and enduring human impulse to shape nature into meaning. "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to experience a masterpiece of Safavid art in a new light and to consider how gardens have always been spaces of imagination, beauty and political expression." The display follows conservation work of the tiles by NMS – which acquired the items in 1899 – to remove 100-year-old overpainting and reveal more of the original design. Conservators also reduced the weight of the supporting frame, making it possible to lend the item to another museum for the first time. Friederike Voigt, principal curator of west, south and south-east Asian collections at NMS, described the piece as the only one of its kind to show "a complete composition" of the garden motif. "Beautifully painted and rich in symbolism, it offers a tantalising glimpse into the splendour of the gardens at the Haft Dast Palace," she said. "Extensive conservation work has revealed it in its full glory and I'm delighted that it's going on display for the first time in a generation as part of this major exhibition." The panel will form part of the V&A Dundee's Garden Futures: Designing With Nature exhibition that opens on May 17. The exhibition is designed to take visitors on an "illuminating journey" through key moments of innovation in garden design from the 20th century to the present day, as well as offering a glimpse into the future.
