Arrests mount as Iran truck drivers strike spreads to 155 cities

Nine people were arrested on Sunday as Iran's nationwide truckers’ strike reached its 11th consecutive day, spreading to at least 155 cities despite a mounting government crackdown.

In the latest crackdown, nine citizens were arrested in Qazvin province, northwestern Iran, in connection with the truckers' strike, according to provincial police chief Mohammad Ghasem Tarhani.

“Using intelligence and technical monitoring, officers recently identified and arrested suspects who were disrupting traffic by throwing stones at passing trucks and filming the acts for social media,” Tarhani said on Sunday.

He accused the detainees of using personal vehicles and motorcycles to block roads, disrupt public order, and hinder economic and livelihood activities.

Tarhani said the detainees were charged and sent to prison on judicial orders.

The strike began on May 22 in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and spread quickly. Within two days, drivers in dozens of cities joined.

Drivers are demanding better working conditions, higher freight rates, and relief from high insurance costs and fuel restrictions.

Truckers in 155 cities and towns are on strike now, according to the Alliance of Iran Truckers and Truck Drivers’ Unions (AITTD).

Footage verified by Iran International on Sunday showed empty roads and freight terminals in several regions across the country.

The Marand–Jolfa highway in East Azerbaijan province was deserted, while no trucks were seen at the main freight terminal in Tehran, the capital. Similar scenes were reported on the Karaj highway in Alborz province and in the Dashti neighborhood of Isfahan, central Iran.

Last Friday, US-based rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said at least 20 people had been arrested across Iran since truck drivers' strike began.