Playing with Death: Kolbars for 150,000 Tomans

The father of Ali Mohammadzadeh, an 18-year-old student from the village of Bivoran Aliyeh in Sardasht, who lost his life last Saturday along with several other kolbars in an avalanche, told Etemad: "Ali was 18 years old. He studied at school during the day and worked in construction wiring in the afternoons. Since childhood, he supported his own education costs. But this time, I don’t know what happened. He and his friends decided to go kolbari for 150,000 or 200,000 tomans in cash, enduring the hardships of this path. Now we are left with Ali's empty place at home." According to the newspaper, Ali Mohammadzadeh was one of the kolbars who, on Saturday night, along with 15 others, went to the Iraq border with a load of dried fruits and got caught in an avalanche, resulting in his and three others' deaths. The father noted that that night, "the weather was snowy, and some had anticipated the avalanche and returned, but a few who were unwilling to turn back stayed and perished under the snow." He added, "Those who returned informed the locals about the others being trapped, and rescue teams reached the site. However, of the 16 people, 4 who were weaker succumbed to death, and 6 were taken to the hospital." The father, who has been away from Sardasht for work and livelihood for two months since the incident, stated, "During this time, Ali bore the expenses of living." He lamented, "All the people of Sardasht are mourning with us, but how long must this situation continue? How long must our boys and men risk their lives for 150,000 tomans in the cold and heat, traversing mine-filled lands and getting killed? Just last night, another hundred went out to kolbari, and it’s still unclear if they will return." Ali's literature teacher also told Etemad: "In Sardasht, death and borders mean the same thing. Students who go kolbari gamble with their lives, hoping to return home to see their families. There are no jobs in Sardasht, and young people do this out of desperation. Every time I see Ali's photo on my phone with his friends, I feel pain more than knowing this happens over and over again without any action taken to prevent it." The literature teacher noted that many students in border cities engage in kolbari but never mention it at school or to their friends. He added that he has had many students who, as heads of their families, had to find a way to support their living through kolbari. The newspaper Aftab Yazd published a report titled "Kolbari at 5,000 Tomans per Kilogram," stating that one of the victims was from Mahabad but had come to kolbari. He had rented a house and had two children. The night it was freezing was the birthday of his two-year-old child. The newspaper reported that the representative of Mahabad, in the presence of Ali Tayebnia, the Minister of Economy and Finance, said: "Because of 100,000 tomans, 16 kolbars got caught in an avalanche. These individuals are forced to make a living in the coldest days of the year, carrying 300 kilograms of load and getting trapped under snow and avalanches. Meanwhile, some individuals can bring thousands of tons of products across borders with just a phone call, right under the eyes of the authorities." Aftab Yazd emphasized that "90%" of kolbars are unemployed and have no jobs, stating: "No one wants to leave their home in the dark, snow, and avalanche for kolbari. I wish many could see how the bodies of kolbars froze under the snow." The newspaper Iran, close to the government, dedicated its front page to the meeting between the French Foreign Minister and Hassan Rouhani, quoting Jean-Marc Ayrault as saying: "I leave Tehran while a new chapter in relations between the two countries has opened in all areas." The newspaper noted that five economic cooperation agreements were signed between Zarif and Ayrault, the foreign ministers of Iran and France, and that Hassan Rouhani, after meeting with Jean-Marc Ayrault, remarked on the French official's appreciation of Tehran's adherence to the JCPOA and its confirmation by the International Atomic Energy Agency, stating: "The nuclear agreement between Iran and six countries was an important event in the international arena, and the message of this agreement is far more significant than its text. The JCPOA carries the message that complex international issues can be resolved through dialogue and a win-win approach, and therefore all countries must strive to preserve and strengthen it, as any damage to it could send a dangerous message to the world that diplomacy cannot resolve problems." The newspaper Iran also reported that "France issues 41,000 visas annually for Iranian nationals," quoting Jean-Marc Ayrault as saying: "We consider the unilateral positions taken under the pretext of fighting terrorism and visa bans by the U.S. government to be concerning and believe these positions are inappropriate and common sense dictates they should be reversed," adding that "Paris intends to double the number of visas issued to Iranians, and this project should be implemented by summer 2017." Hamid Reza Asefi, a former Iranian ambassador to France, also wrote in a note in the Iran newspaper that Paris aims to "strengthen relations with Tehran" and noted that "the French government, aiming to maintain the repaired relations with Iran and its economic and political advantages, has positioned itself as a staunch defender of the JCPOA." The Etemad newspaper also reported under the headline "Economic-Political Defense of the JCPOA" about the French Foreign Minister's visit to Tehran, stating: "The Europeans have committed themselves to preserving the nuclear agreement with Iran. If four years ago, it was the U.S. president who built a global consensus to intensify sanctions against Iran, this time it is the Europeans who have increased their visits to Tehran alongside Russia and China to preserve the nuclear agreement with Iran." The newspaper reported that the French Foreign Minister said in Tehran: "France opposes any initiative that contradicts the spirit of the JCPOA, and if there is to be a renegotiation on the nuclear issue, we will not accept it at all. We have taken note of Donald Trump's positions and have concerns about them. We are waiting to see what happens, but we are cautious and vigilant." Meanwhile, the Kayhan newspaper, which is under the supervision of the Supreme Leader's representative, harshly criticized the French Foreign Minister's visit to Tehran, stating: "The result of diplomatic passivity is that the French Foreign Minister has become audacious and received rewards." This newspaper also wrote: "While the French Foreign Minister, in audacious remarks, claimed that Iran's missile tests violate UN resolutions and should not be conducted, the government gifted lucrative economic contracts to Paris." The Vatan-e-Emruz newspaper, close to the Front of Steadfastness, also dedicated its front page to the French Foreign Minister, with the headline "French Audacity," reporting that the minister said in his press conference in Tehran: "I have come to Tehran to tell the Iranians not to make mistakes; Iran's missile tests violate Resolution 2231." This newspaper also noted that "the French Minister visited Tehran while French warships are conducting military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf, a fact that has also been criticized by French traders." The Shahre Vahdat newspaper reported on the "tragic incident of the operating room light falling in Zahedan," stating: "The fall of the operating room light cost the life of a 63-year-old father. This man had gone under the knife for cataract surgery but fell into a coma for 12 days after this incident and lost his life. The operating room light fell just moments before the surgery on this individual’s abdomen and caused an infection in the patient's intestines." The head of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences confirmed the occurrence of this incident and stated: "Our investigations show that the incident of the light falling and hitting part of the patient's abdomen occurred before the surgery began, and following that, the general surgeon present in the operating room examined the patient to ensure no internal injury had occurred." However, this official cited another reason for the patient's death, stating that the 63-year-old patient lost his life due to an infection following intestinal surgery. The Resalat newspaper, in its editorial on Thursday, called for the "necessity of drafting a cinematic charter," stating: "Global powers that harbor animosity toward the Islamic Revolution have reached the tactic that the only way to infiltrate and undermine the opponent is through the practical use of cinema, meaning they may speak of military maneuvers in their slogans and propaganda loudspeakers, but behind the scenes, their way of infiltration and changing thoughts is through creating cultural currents and using the performing arts, especially cinema. It is here that the necessity arises for the Islamic Republic and cultural authorities from all factions and groups, regardless of categorization, to create a cultural chain that both prevents destructive infiltration and facilitates pathways for promotion and propaganda."