2018 Iranian general strikes

Iranian economic protests
Date 14 April 2018–present
Location Across Iran
Caused by
Goals
  • Price stability in the market
  • Stop or reduce exchange rates and gold
Methods Demonstrations, civil disobedience, strikes
Parties to the civil conflict
Bazaaris
Workers
Truckers
Teachers
Lead figures
No known leaders
Number
  • Tens of thousands
Tens of thousands of law enforcement personnel
Casualties
Arrested 10+ in Bazaar strikes
261 truckers[1]
5 Kurdish activists[2]

The 2018 Iranian general strikes are a series of protests that took place across Iran against economic situation.

Timeline

April

On 14 April 2018, Baneh shopkeepers started strikes and continued it for twenty days.[3]

May

The first strikes was started on 22 May 2018 with truckers stop working in 160 cities. Their strikes was continued for ten days.

June

25 June

On 25 June 2018, shops were shut and thousands gathered in the Bazaar area of Tehran to protest the economic situation.[4][5] This was met with security forces firing tear gas at the protestors.[6] Protests against the economic situation also occurred in Shahriar, Karaj, Qeshm, Bandar Abbas, and Mashhad.[7] Some of the stores were closed enforcedly by unknown individuals.[8][9]

26 June

People in Tehran took to the streets for the third straight day on 26 June, with many shops in Tehran's Bazaar remaining closed.[10] Videos from social media showed the crowd in downtown Tehran chanting "Death to the dictator" and "Death to Palestine".[11][10] Security forces clamped down on the protesters once again, arresting a large number of people.[12]

Strikes and protests were also seen in Kermanshah, Arak and Tabriz.[12]

27 June

Protests continued for a third day in Tehran, despite a heavy security presence,[13] Reuters referred to the three days as "the biggest unrest since the start of the year". Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, addressed the protests for the first time and called on the judiciary to punish those who disrupt economic security.[14] Many of the protests involved traders in the Grand Bazaar in Tehran, who complained that the devaluation of the Iranian rial had forced them to stop trading.[15]

28 June

On 28 June, sources told Radio Farda that merchants had closed down the Bazaar in the city of Arak.[16] Tehran's prosecutor general stated that a large number of protesters have been arrested and will likely face trial.[16] Jafar Dolatabadi also stated in an interview that the protesters grievances are not only economic, and that "people are grappling with political and social concerns".[16]

September

Kurdish strikes (11 September)

On 11 September 2018, shopkeepers in Iranian Kurdistan initiated a one-day strike in response to the missile attack by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps on the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, and the execution of Ramin Panahi and two other Kurd activists. In response to the strikes, the security forces arrested five Kurdish activists.[17]

October

Bazaar strikes (8 October – 9 October)

On 8 October 2018, Bazaaris in multiple cities across Iran closed their shops and went on strike in protest to the economic situation. Strikes were seen in Sanandaj, Bukan, Saqqez, Marivan, Baneh, Miandoab, Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz, and Chabahar.[18][19] The strikes continued into 9 October, although they were reduced in size from the previous day, and were seen in Tabriz, Shahriar, Shahreza, and Sanandaj.[20]

Truckers strikes (22 September – 10 October)

On 22 September 2018, truckers across several Iranian cities re-started their strikes against the rising expenses of their jobs.[21] On 26 September, the strikes continued and were seen in Ahvaz, Qazvin, Shahreza, Borujerd, and Urmia.[22] 40 to 70 truckers in Fars, Tehran, and Qazvin province were arrested on 27 September, as strikes continued into their fifth day.[23][24] The Free Truckers Union announced that the strike had spread to 31 provinces across the country.[25] The judiciary stated that those arrested could face the death penalty.[26]

On 29 September, on the eight day of the strikes, the number of truckers arrested reached 89.[27] On 1 October, the strikes reached their 10th straight day and were seen in Bukan, Khosrowshah, Arak, Fooladshahr, Nishapur, Tiran, Takestan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Qazvin, Karaj, Bandar Abbas, Ardabil, Dezful, Yazd, and Najafabad. The number of arrested also reached 156.[28][29] By the 13th straight day of the strike over 230 truckers were arrested.[30] The strikes continued into 8 October, and reached their 17th consecutive day. Security forces responded by arresting a number of truckers, which increased the amount of people arrested to 256.[31]

Teacher strikes (13 October – ongoing)

On 13 October 2018, teachers across Iran started a two-day nationwide strike in protest to high expenses and inflation.[32] Teachers in Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Ilam, Yasuj, Sanandaj, Simorgh, Hamedan, Amol, Zarrin Shahr, Gonabad, Eslamabad, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Marivan, Sarvabad, and Garmeh.[33]

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.hra-news.org/2018/hranews/a-17389/
  2. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-45498114
  3. ↑ http://pdki.org/english/general-strike-in-kurdish-cities/
  4. ↑ "Tehran sees biggest protests since 2012". 25 June 2018 – via www.bbc.com.
  5. ↑ "Thousands protest in Iran over failing economy, forcing closure of Tehran's Grand Bazaar". 26 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Staff, Our Foreign (25 June 2018). "Iran protesters confront police at parliament in fresh wave of demonstrations" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  7. ↑ "اعتصاب بازار تهران: درگیری و اعتراض به گرانی در چند شهر ایران". 25 June 2018 – via www.bbc.com.
  8. ↑ "Behind the scenes of the events of today's Tehran market" (in Persian). Isna News Agency. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "Shutters that were pulled down by force" (in Persian). Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  10. 1 2 Farda, Radio. "Dozens Arrested As Tehran Bazaar Protest Spreads To Other Cities".
  11. ↑ "گزارش واشنگتن فری بیکن: معترضان ایرانی شعار «مرگ بر فلسطین» سر می‌دهند". Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  12. 1 2 "بازداشت «تعداد زیادی»‌ از معترضان؛ تجمع‌های بازاریان به دیگر شهرهای ایران کشیده شد". رادیو فردا.
  13. ↑ "Amid Heavy Security, Tehran Bazaar Partially Open".
  14. ↑ Dehghanpisheh, Babak. "After protests, Iran's Khamenei demands punishment for those who..."
  15. ↑ "Iran's power struggle plays out in Tehran's Grand Bazaar". CNN.
  16. 1 2 3 "IRAN: Prosecutor Says 'A Large Number' Of Protesters Arrested, Threatens Others". www.payvand.com. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  17. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-45498114
  18. ↑ https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran_strike_market-bazar/29532017.html
  19. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-bazar/4604143.html
  20. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-45796854
  21. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-truck-drivers-strike/4583787.html
  22. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-truck/4588098.html
  23. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-truk-driver/4591139.html
  24. ↑ https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran_strike_truck_drivers_arresting/29512909.html
  25. ↑ https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran_strike_truck_drivers_arresting/29512909.html
  26. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-truck-drivers-protest-strick/4591698.html
  27. ↑ https://www.hra-news.org/2018/hranews/a-17206/
  28. ↑ https://www.hra-news.org/2018/hranews/a-17238/
  29. ↑ https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-truk-driver/4594676.html
  30. ↑ https://www.radiozamaneh.com/414783
  31. ↑ https://www.hra-news.org/2018/hranews/a-17350/
  32. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-45855658
  33. ↑ https://www.radiofarda.com/a/iran-teachers-sit-in-protest/29542690.html
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