IranWire

Iran's nationwide truck drivers' strike has entered its second week with major transportation routes shut down and growing support from teachers, Nobel laureates and other sectors in one of the country's biggest labor actions in recent years.

The strike spread to 130 cities after beginning earlier this month, triggered mainly by insurance premium increases and new fuel pricing policies that drivers say threaten their livelihoods.

Security forces arrested dozens of drivers across Iran, while authorities deployed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) transportation capabilities to break the strike.

What Triggered the Strike?

A series of economic blows hit truck drivers simultaneously this year.

Several drivers died, and trucks were damaged in explosions at Shaid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas last month, one of Iran’s major commercial hubs.

Around the same time, reports emerged of Afghan drivers entering Iran through the Dogharoun border, potentially competing with Iranian truck drivers for work, according to the BBC Persian service.

But the breaking point came with announcements of dramatic insurance premium increases and new fuel pricing policies that threatened to devastate drivers’ already precarious finances.

The Insurance Crisis

Iranian truck drivers saw their insurance premiums jump from about 2.4 million tomans to 3.3 million tomans - roughly equivalent to going from $29 to $40 at current exchange rates.

For new drivers without experience, premiums were set even higher - up to 4 million tomans ($50).

The increase resulted from cuts to government subsidies that had previously helped cover insurance costs.

Only experienced drivers qualify for the reduced government assistance, leaving newcomers to pay the full premium.

Many drivers say they struggled to afford insurance even at the lower rates. The situation became particularly acute for truckers whose vehicles were damaged in the Bandar Abbas port explosions - they report being unable to collect insurance compensation while still required to make monthly truck payments.

Reza Akbari, head of Iran’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, promised to pursue reducing insurance costs but acknowledged the process would require amending government regulations and securing budget allocations.

He said preliminary work would be done “in the near future and urgently,” but provided no specific timeline.

Fuel Pricing Restructuring

Perhaps more concerning for drivers was the government’s decision to implement a three-tier diesel pricing system, ostensibly to target subsidies and combat fuel smuggling.

Under the new system approved by Iran’s cabinet in April, diesel prices would range from 300 tomans ($0.0035) per liter for subsidized fuel to as much as 25,000–30,000 tomans ($0.40) for unsubsidized diesel.

The average monthly salary for a truck driver is around $200. Meanwhile, the costs of parts, repairs, and fuel have also soared.

The three tiers include a subsidized rate of 300 tomans per liter, a semi-subsidized rate of 12,500 tomans per liter, and a free-market rate of 24,500 tomans per liter, potentially reaching 30,000 tomans.

The higher-priced tiers would apply to drivers without active electronic waybills, effectively forcing truckers into a digital tracking system many view as government surveillance of their activities.

The government stated this policy aimed to prevent “the daily smuggling of 8 million liters of diesel,” but drivers saw it as another financial burden disguised as an anti-corruption policy.

Following protests, officials said the new pricing would only take effect on July 1 and that rates for urban and intercity fleets with “specific performance” wouldn’t change. However, many drivers remained sceptical of these assurances.

Beyond Fuel and Insurance: Systemic Grievances

The strike reflects broader frustrations with working conditions that have deteriorated over the years.

Truck drivers complain that official freight rates haven’t kept pace with inflation and rising operational costs.

Even worse, cargo owners routinely delay payments for months, leaving drivers unable to cover immediate expenses.

In response to the strikes, Reza Rostami, head of the National Transportation Companies Association, announced new rules requiring payment within 48 hours of cargo delivery, or companies would face system shutdowns.

Restrictions would also apply to cargo owners who delay payments.

Other grievances include rising costs for tires, spare parts, and engine oil, expensive maintenance, and poor and unsafe road conditions.

How the Strike Spread

What began as scattered protests in limited areas quickly expanded through social media coordination.

Images of protesting drivers and calls from colleagues circulated online and encouraged participation across the country.

The Union of Truck Drivers Across Iran has maintained discipline while acknowledging some small incidents.

Social media images show striking drivers blocking roads to encourage colleagues to join, but also threats, clashes, and broken windows of trucks that continued operating.

Union leadership has urged members to avoid violence and property damage while maintaining the strike until all demands are met.

Government Response

The Islamic Republic’s authorities have responded with a mix of promises and pressure.

Officials have made successive pledges to address drivers’ concerns, while parliamentarians have given supportive speeches and state media have adopted conciliatory tones.

However, the government has also deployed security forces, including using the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s transportation capabilities, to break the strike.

At least 11 drivers were arrested in Kermanshah province, prompting union demands for their immediate release.

The union called these arrests a sign of “desperation in the face of the roaring wave of justice-seeking.”

Support Pouring In

The strike has attracted unprecedented attention and support from other sectors, including teachers’ unions, student organizations, and civil society groups.

Teachers’ unions cited rising suicide rates, domestic violence, juvenile crime, and student dropouts as symptoms of Iran’s broader crisis.

They described the truckers’ actions as representing “widespread demands” beyond any single profession.

Teachers’ unions in Fars province and Islamabad-e-Gharb also backed the strike. The Fars Teachers’ Association described it as “an undeniable right of every Iranian citizen” and condemned the security crackdowns as violations of constitutional rights.

Eleven labor organizations, including oil workers’ councils and retired workers’ unions, described nationwide strikes as “the only available solution” to workers’ problems.

The Iran Labor Confederation, based abroad, urged the International Labour Organization to expel Iranian representatives and demanded the release of imprisoned labor activists.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi released an audio message in support of the protests, calling them “civil demonstrations.”

She said, “The truckers’ protest is a civil demonstration where they are crying out for their demands and rights. Since the Islamic Republic does not respond to people’s legitimate demands and instead responds with repression and violence, I believe all sectors of society and trades should join this strike and support it.”

Toomaj Salehi, a protest singer, rapper, and former political prisoner, also expressed support for the strike, writing, “Strike is one of the most peaceful methods of protest. Shahab Darabi should be freed. The problem will not be solved with batons or handcuffs.”

Filmmaker Jafar Panahi, a recent Palme d’Or winner at Cannes, posted on Instagram that truckers “have no choice but to strike.”

The strike’s duration, geographic spread, and cross-sector support have made it one of the most significant labor actions in recent Iranian history.

For now, much of Iran’s transport system is still shut down as drivers wait for a clear response from the government - a standoff that could have long-term effects on the economy and workers’ rights.