A nationwide truck drivers’ strike in Iran has entered its second week, disrupting major transport routes and gaining broad public support. Despite arrests and intimidation by authorities, the strike has spread to at least 155 cities, according to Iran’s National Union of Truckers and Drivers, making it one of the country’s largest labor protests in recent years.
Videos show trucks parked along major roads as drivers protest against mounting economic pressures, including low fares, rising insurance costs, low freight rates, and a proposed fuel price hike.
“Along with making various promises, authorities still continue to issue threats: ‘If you do not proceed with loading cargo, you will be deprived of your legal rights.’ And they arrest honorable drivers, labeling them as ‘disruptors of public security.’ Our response is one word: Resistance — until we achieve our most basic human and legal rights!,” the country’s National Union of Truckers and Drivers said in a statement.
The drivers began striking on May 22, 2025, in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of Iran’s most critical transportation and shipping hubs, which was rocked by a massive explosion in April.
Their strikes are gaining growing support from the public, Nobel laureates, and a broad range of sectors, including teachers’ unions, student organizations, and civil society groups. Many of Iran’s previous rounds of anti-government protests started out as economic protests, including demonstrations in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
At least 20 truck drivers and supporters have been arrested thus far amid the ongoing wave of nationwide strikes. The National Union of Truckers and Drivers has demanded the release of their colleagues and reported violent police tactics against striking drivers in some cities.
Among those arrested is Shahab Darabi, a Kurdish truck driver and blogger, who was violently arrested by security agents on May 24 after participating in the strike and expressing support for it online. He was taken from his home to an undisclosed location, and there is no verified information available regarding his current condition or whereabouts. He was previously detained in February after criticizing Iran’s elections online.
Another individual, Farzad Rezaei, a Kurdish truck driver from Zarineh town in Kurdistan Province, was arrested by security forces on May 29 for supporting the nationwide strike. Detained at his home, he was taken to an undisclosed location, and his current condition remains unknown.
“Instead of responding to legitimate demands, the government has chosen a path of repression and intimidation. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of our detained colleagues,” the National Union of Truckers and Drivers said.