Strike of Merchants in Several Cities of Iran

Reports from Iran indicate a strike by merchants in several cities, including Sanandaj and several other cities in western Iran. Previously, calls for a nationwide strike by merchants in Iran in protest against rising prices were published on social media for Monday, October 8. Videos shared on social media, with speakers announcing the date of October 8, show that strikes occurred in Sanandaj, Mashhad, mobile phone markets in Isfahan, and Chaharrah Lashkar in Tehran. Radio Farda is not independently able to confirm these reports. A civil activist in Sanandaj confirmed to Radio Farda that the strike of 'all' merchants in this city occurred, noting that merchants in Miyandoab, Boukan, Saqqez, Baneh, and Marivan also participated in the strike. This civil activist also mentioned that most shopkeepers and merchants in Kermanshah, Qasr-e Shirin, and Sanqur Kalayi also joined the strike. The Mokrian News Agency reported on its Telegram channel about the strike of merchants in Sanandaj and Saqqez in protest against rising prices and inflation. Ayoub Asadi, a reporter for the Mokrian News Agency in Saqqez, also mentioned in an interview with Radio Farda that the markets in the cities of Kurdistan were on strike. Meanwhile, the Central News Unit, belonging to the official Iranian radio and television, reported that the Grand Bazaar of Tehran continued its 'normal activities' on Monday, similar to previous days. However, the Central News Unit did not mention other areas of Tehran or other cities. The state news agency IRNA also quoted Fazlollah Ranjbar, the governor of Kermanshah, denying the closure of the Dowlatabad market. This official stated, 'A group of heavy vehicle repair shopkeepers peacefully protested against some no-entry signs for trucks, and addressing this request has begun.' In recent months, along with a sharp decline in the value of Iran's national currency and the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the prices of goods and services in Iran have significantly increased; so much so that Faramarz Tofighi, head of the Wage Committee of the Islamic Labor Councils Association of Iran, announced last week that the purchasing power of workers has decreased by '90 percent' since the beginning of the current year until October 6. Mr. Tofighi also criticized officials on Sunday, October 15, in an interview with ILNA news agency, asking why they do not see that 'the price of tomato paste has increased by 240 percent; why they do not see that tomatoes have increased by 300 percent, and why they do not see that potatoes have increased by 200 percent.' The head of the Wage Committee of the Islamic Labor Councils Association of Iran added that 'rent has increased by 95 percent and transportation costs have increased by at least 33 percent.' Meanwhile, videos released on social media indicate that the strike of truck drivers continues, at least in the terminals of four cities: Tabriz, Bandar Abbas, Shahreza, and Sanandaj. The new round of truck drivers' strikes, with professional demands, began on September 22. In this regard, according to the Mehr News Agency, Mohsen Karami, the head of the Qazvin Prosecutor's Office, said on Monday, 'There are professional problems in transportation matters, and the solution to these problems must be pursued legally, and such actions will not yield results.' He further reported the arrest of 17 individuals in connection with the truck drivers' protests, explaining that these individuals had 'attacked' truck drivers and 'were trying to provoke others to create unrest.'