Several Striking Truck Drivers Arrested as Nationwide Protest Reaches Fifth Day Strike Expands to Ahwaz

Authorities have arrested several striking truck drivers in the southern city of Shiraz, as a nationwide truckers’ strike entered its fifth day on Monday, according to the provincial prosecutor.

“Those who have blocked the movement of freight trucks have been identified and arrested under the supervision of security and law enforcement agencies,” said Kamran Mirhaji, the prosecutor of Fars province, on Monday. “Anyone who obstructs the delivery of goods and cargo by trucks will be dealt with seriously according to the law,” he added, as reported by Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.

Launched on May 18 in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, the coordinated strike has rapidly spread across the country — including to the southwestern region of Ahwaz — with truckers pledging to continue the protest for at least a week, or longer if their demands are not addressed.

Truck drivers are demanding better working conditions, increased freight rates, and relief from high insurance premiums and restrictive fuel policies.

The crackdown in Shiraz coincides with videos obtained by Iran International, showing the strike persisting into its fifth day across multiple provinces, including Fars, where the arrests took place. A citizen video from the Shiraz–Marvdasht road described the route as “completely deserted,” noting that not a single truck was in sight on a road that typically sees heavy freight traffic.

Footage from other areas, including Shahrud, Torbat-e Jam, Meybod, and Ahwaz, confirms that truckers are refusing to transport goods, significantly disrupting supply chains in both northern and southern regions of the country.

On Sunday, the Truckers and Drivers’ Union announced that drivers in over 100 cities are now participating in the coordinated action, marking one of the largest labor movements by truckers in recent years.

In response, Reza Akbari, head of Iran’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, attempted to downplay the protest’s significance, blaming what he described as “foreign interference.” “A limited number of drivers are trying to create unrest, incited by hostile foreign media that aim to portray the country’s roads as unsafe,” he claimed on Monday.

Akbari also accused independent Persian-language outlets abroad of exaggerating the extent of the protests and suggested that domestic media were unintentionally amplifying misinformation. Nonetheless, he added that “truck drivers have been very cooperative in efforts to resolve the existing issues.”

Despite official efforts to contain and dismiss the movement, participation continues to grow, with Ahwaz emerging as a key node in the expanding national strike.