Arrest of 7 More Truck Drivers Amid Judicial Threats

As the truck drivers' strike in some regions of Iran enters its second week, two judicial officials described the strike as 'instigated by the enemy' and 'by a group of opportunists and profiteers,' announcing the arrest of several more strikers. Simultaneously, 153 members of parliament called for government support for the 'legitimate demands of truck drivers.' The new wave of strikes began last Saturday with professional demands, and previously over seventy strikers had been arrested in the provinces of Fars and Qazvin, as well as in the Pakdasht district southeast of Tehran. On Sunday, October 7, a judicial official from Kerman province reported the arrest of 7 more strikers in that province. According to Mehr News Agency, Mehdi Ghavidel, the prosecutor of Zarand, labeled the detainees as 'opportunists and profiteers' who 'attempted to incite and threaten active drivers on the roads to disrupt the road transport fleet.' This judicial official also threatened that 'those who damage fuel trucks' on the roads could be classified as 'highway robbers' and face the death penalty; such threats had previously been made by Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of Iran. Additionally, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei stated on Sunday that those who disrupt transport 'at the instigation of the enemy' should 'know that severe punishment awaits disruptors.' According to ISNA, Mohseni Ejei emphasized that all prosecutors have been instructed to work with law enforcement to 'not overlook the arrest of individuals who create disruption and threats in this manner.' Some truck drivers had previously gone on strike in the months of Khordad and Mordad with professional demands. Among the truck drivers' demands are setting a base fare based on tons per kilometer by load type, reducing the price of trucks, spare parts, and tires with the allocation of state currency, eliminating customs duties, increasing drivers' wages, enhancing retirement benefits for drivers, improving road safety, renewing drivers' and truckers' unions through free elections, and providing welfare and health facilities at urban and border terminals. Iranian media, including the 'House of the People' news agency, published a letter from 175 members of parliament on Sunday supporting the truck drivers' demands. In this letter, support for the 'legitimate demands of truck drivers and heavy urban transport vehicles' was expressed, with a call for 'timely measures' to prevent dissatisfaction and 'an expert-supported assistance package to be urgently prepared and delivered for their continued work.' Previously, several government officials had promised to fulfill the truck drivers' professional demands. For instance, Daryoush Amani, the deputy of the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, promised on Tuesday that calculating truck drivers' transport fares based on 'tons per kilometer' would be operational within the next two months and that the tire issue would also be resolved.