Protest Gathering in Marivan Against the Passage of Fuel Tankers

A number of people in Marivan, located in the Kurdistan province, gathered in front of the city's governorate on Tuesday morning to protest the condition of the Sanandaj-Marivan road. The protesters demanded a ban on the passage of fuel tankers that transport crude oil from Iraqi Kurdistan to refineries in Iran. These tankers have reportedly not only caused traffic congestion on the roads but have also been responsible for fatal accidents on the Sanandaj-Marivan route in recent years. An eyewitness named Mohammad told Radio Farda about today's protest: 'The call for the gathering was published on Telegram in the past days. Today, the people of Marivan gathered in front of the governorate at 10 AM, carrying placards and chanting slogans, demanding a ban on the movement of fuel tankers. The protesters then marched towards Malabisarani Square.' In this context, a civil activist from Marivan told Radio Farda that during today's gathering, the people conveyed their demands to the governor, but the governor opposed some of the demands, which led to dissatisfaction among the protesters. He said: 'When the people spoke with the governor, they had two main demands: first, that the alternative road under construction be completed as soon as possible, and second, that until the new road is built, the passage of fuel tankers on the current route be prohibited. However, the governor rejected the second demand, stating that they have contracts with the Kurdistan Regional Government.' According to this civil activist, the governor's opposition to the demand for 'banning the passage of fuel tankers' led to the protesters' dissatisfaction, and they subsequently marched towards Malabisarani Square and blocked the square. The civil activist concluded: 'At the end of this gathering, a statement was read addressed to the city's officials, stating that if they oppose the protesters' demands, these gatherings will continue.' The winding Sanandaj-Marivan road witnesses many accidents annually, resulting in dozens of fatalities. Mohammad, a Marivan citizen, stated: 'The Sanandaj-Marivan road is generally one of the most hazardous roads in Iran. However, when fuel tankers have accidents on this route, they pose a danger to other vehicles as well. Last year, seven people lost their lives near the village of Negel due to this reason. Last week, a fuel tanker overturned, and its fuel leak caused several other vehicles to catch fire, resulting in four fatalities.' According to eyewitnesses at today's gathering in Marivan, families of some of the victims of traffic accidents were also present.