Latest news with #NargesMohammadi


Jordan News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan News
Iran Arrests Dozens Following Nationwide Truck Drivers' Strike - Jordan News
Iranian media reported that security forces have arrested several individuals linked to a nationwide strike by truck drivers. Tasnim News Agency stated that the Intelligence Organization of the Revolutionary Guard detained several people in the industrial province of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran. These individuals are alleged to have taken photos and videos of protests at a cargo station and shared them with opposition broadcast networks. اضافة اعلان The truck drivers began their strike about a week ago, protesting against rising prices of spare parts, fuel, excessive insurance premiums, and falling freight rates. Labor unions also reported the arrest of many drivers in Kermanshah province. The strike has now spread to more than 130 cities across the country. Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate currently imprisoned in Tehran, expressed solidarity with the strikers. Iran is suffering from a severe economic crisis due to harsh international sanctions and poor management. Recently, major cities have experienced increased power outages. The country has witnessed several waves of protests in recent years, each met with violent and harsh security crackdowns. Meanwhile, the government is currently negotiating a new nuclear agreement with the United States. Former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran with military force if no agreement is reached.


Nahar Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Truckers' protests in Iran grow and win support from prominent dissidents
by Naharnet Newsdesk 29 May 2025, 12:48 Truck drivers in Iran blocked roads and ports Wednesday as part of their strike protesting low salaries, high insurance rates, and a possible hike in fuel prices. The strikes, which began last Thursday in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of the country's main transportation and shipping hubs, have now spread across Iran. The protests are slowly gaining steam, supported by prominent dissident voices, and could morph into more serious protests against the government. Last week, the Iranian government announced plans to increase the price of fuel for trucks from 4 cents per liter (15.14 cents per gallon) to nearly 50 cents per liter (about $1.90 per gallon) in late June. With massive resources of oil and gas, Iran has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States on Wednesday was $3.16, according to AAA, a drivers' assistance and advisory service. Dissident Iranians expressed their support for the truckers. Film director Jafar Panahi, who last week won the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, encouraged the truck drivers to start a nationwide strike. "The strike is a loud cry to the government: enough is enough! Stop the massive suppression and plundering before everything is lost and nothing remains for people," he wrote on Instagram. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was imprisoned on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran's government, also expressed her support for the strike on X. Videos circulating on social media showed lines of trucks parked on the sides of major roads. Iran said the plan is intended to prevent fuel smuggling into neighboring countries. Fuel in neighboring Pakistan costs more than a dollar per liter ($4 per gallon). Many of Iran's previous rounds of anti-government protests started out as economic protests over local issues, including demonstrations in 2017 and 2018. Those protests were met with a heavy reaction by the police and the Basij, the all-volunteer force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In 2019, anger over the government eliminating the gasoline subsidy also sparked nation-wide protests. More than 1,000 people were arrested and the country temporarily shut down the internet. Protests also rocked the country in 2022 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in Iranian security custody after morality police detained her for improperly wearing her headscarf, or hijab. On Saturday, Jalal Mousavi, an official in the truckers' union, said truckers are striking because they are struggling with the rising costs of fuel, spare parts and repairs. The strike underscores the mounting economic pressures on Iran as it struggles to secure relief from crippling sanctions in the ongoing negotiations with the United States. Iran's oil sector, the lifeblood of its economy, has been damaged by the impact of American sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program, and it is one of the central issues under discussion in the Iran-U.S. negotiations. On Wednesday, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the spokesperson of the government's Cabinet, said lawmakers had discussed the strike in the Cabinet meeting and the administration will consider the truckers' needs. State TV showed footage of routine activities in truck terminals and ports.


Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Truckers' Protests in Iran Grow and Win Support from Prominent Dissidents
Truck drivers in Iran blocked roads and ports Wednesday as part of their strike protesting low salaries, high insurance rates, and a possible hike in fuel prices. The strikes, which began last Thursday in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of the country's main transportation and shipping hubs, have now spread across Iran. The protests are slowly gaining steam, supported by prominent dissident voices, and could morph into more serious protests against the government. Last week, the Iranian government announced plans to increase the price of fuel for trucks from 4 cents per liter (15.14 cents per gallon) to nearly 50 cents per liter (about $1.90 per gallon) in late June. With massive resources of oil and gas, Iran has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States on Wednesday was $3.16, according to AAA, a drivers' assistance and advisory service. Dissident Iranians expressed their support for the truckers. Film director Jafar Panahi, who last week won the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, encouraged the truck drivers to start a nationwide strike. 'The strike is a loud cry to the government: enough is enough! Stop the massive suppression and plundering before everything is lost and nothing remains for people,' he wrote on Instagram. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was imprisoned on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran's government, also expressed her support for the strike on X. Videos circulating on social media showed lines of trucks parked on the sides of major roads. Iran said the plan is intended to prevent fuel smuggling into neighboring countries. Fuel in neighboring Pakistan costs more than a dollar per liter ($4 per gallon). Many of Iran's previous rounds of anti-government protests started out as economic protests over local issues, including demonstrations in 2017 and 2018. Those protests were met with a heavy reaction by the police and the Basij, the all-volunteer force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In 2019, anger over the government eliminating the gasoline subsidy also sparked nation-wide protests. More than 1,000 people were arrested and the country temporarily shut down the internet. Protests also rocked the country in 2022 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in Iranian security custody after morality police detained her for improperly wearing her headscarf. On Saturday, Jalal Mousavi, an official in the truckers' union, said truckers are striking because they are struggling with the rising costs of fuel, spare parts and repairs. The strike underscores the mounting economic pressures on Iran as it struggles to secure relief from crippling sanctions in the ongoing negotiations with the United States. Iran's oil sector, the lifeblood of its economy, has been damaged by the impact of American sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program, and it is one of the central issues under discussion in the Iran-US negotiations.

3 days ago
- Politics
Truckers' protest in Iran gathers steam and wins support from prominent dissident voices
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Truck drivers in Iran blocked roads and ports Wednesday as part of their strike action protesting low salaries, high insurance rates, and a possible hike in fuel prices. The strikes, which began last Thursday in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of the country's main transportation and shipping hubs, have now spread across Iran. The protests are slowly gaining steam, supported by prominent dissident voices, and could morph into more serious protests against the government. Last week, the Iranian government announced plans to increase the price of fuel for trucks from 4 cents per liter (15.14 cents per gallon) to nearly 50 cents per liter (about $1.90 per gallon) in late June. With massive resources of oil and gas, Iran has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States on Wednesday was $3.16, according to AAA, a drivers' assistance and advisory service. Dissident Iranians expressed their support for the truckers. Film director Jafar Panahi, who last week won the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, encouraged the truck drivers to start a nationwide strike. 'The strike is a loud cry to the government: enough is enough! Stop the massive suppression and plundering before everything is lost and nothing remains for people,' he wrote on Instagram. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was imprisoned on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran's government, also expressed her support for the strike on X. Videos circulating on social media showed lines of trucks parked on the sides of major roads. Iran said the plan is intended to prevent fuel smuggling into neighboring countries. Fuel in neighboring Pakistan costs more than a dollar per liter ($4 per gallon). Many of Iran's previous rounds of anti-government protests started out as economic protests over local issues, including demonstrations in 2017 and 2018. Those protests were met with a heavy reaction by the police and the Basij, the all-volunteer force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In 2019, anger over the government eliminating the gasoline subsidy also sparked nation-wide protests. More than 1,000 people were arrested and the country temporarily shut down the internet. Protests also rocked the country in 2022 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in Iranian security custody after morality police detained her for improperly wearing her headscarf, or hijab. On Saturday, Jalal Mousavi, an official in the truckers' union, said truckers are striking because they are struggling with the rising costs of fuel, spare parts and repairs. The strike underscores the mounting economic pressures on Iran as it struggles to secure relief from crippling sanctions in the ongoing negotiations with the United States. Iran's oil sector, the lifeblood of its economy, has been damaged by the impact of American sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program, and it is one of the central issues under discussion in the Iran-U.S. negotiations. On Wednesday, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the spokesperson of the government's Cabinet, said lawmakers had discussed the strike in the Cabinet meeting and the administration will consider the truckers' needs. State TV showed footage of routine activities in truck terminals and ports.


San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Truckers' protest in Iran gathers steam and wins support from prominent dissident voices
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Truck drivers in Iran blocked roads and ports Wednesday as part of their strike action protesting low salaries, high insurance rates, and a possible hike in fuel prices. The strikes, which began last Thursday in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of the country's main transportation and shipping hubs, have now spread across Iran. The protests are slowly gaining steam, supported by prominent dissident voices, and could morph into more serious protests against the government. Last week, the Iranian government announced plans to increase the price of fuel for trucks from 4 cents per liter (15.14 cents per gallon) to nearly 50 cents per liter (about $1.90 per gallon) in late June. With massive resources of oil and gas, Iran has some of the lowest fuel prices in the world. The average price for a gallon of gas in the United States on Wednesday was $3.16, according to AAA, a drivers' assistance and advisory service. Dissident Iranians expressed their support for the truckers. Film director Jafar Panahi, who last week won the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, encouraged the truck drivers to start a nationwide strike. 'The strike is a loud cry to the government: enough is enough! Stop the massive suppression and plundering before everything is lost and nothing remains for people,' he wrote on Instagram. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was imprisoned on charges of collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran's government, also expressed her support for the strike on X. Videos circulating on social media showed lines of trucks parked on the sides of major roads. Iran said the plan is intended to prevent fuel smuggling into neighboring countries. Fuel in neighboring Pakistan costs more than a dollar per liter ($4 per gallon). Many of Iran's previous rounds of anti-government protests started out as economic protests over local issues, including demonstrations in 2017 and 2018. Those protests were met with a heavy reaction by the police and the Basij, the all-volunteer force of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In 2019, anger over the government eliminating the gasoline subsidy also sparked nation-wide protests. More than 1,000 people were arrested and the country temporarily shut down the internet. Protests also rocked the country in 2022 over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in Iranian security custody after morality police detained her for improperly wearing her headscarf, or hijab. On Saturday, Jalal Mousavi, an official in the truckers' union, said truckers are striking because they are struggling with the rising costs of fuel, spare parts and repairs. The strike underscores the mounting economic pressures on Iran as it struggles to secure relief from crippling sanctions in the ongoing negotiations with the United States. Iran's oil sector, the lifeblood of its economy, has been damaged by the impact of American sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program, and it is one of the central issues under discussion in the Iran-U.S. negotiations. On Wednesday, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the spokesperson of the government's Cabinet, said lawmakers had discussed the strike in the Cabinet meeting and the administration will consider the truckers' needs. State TV showed footage of routine activities in truck terminals and ports. —-