Truck drivers across Iran staged a third consecutive day of strikes on Saturday, with videos sent to Iran International showing a broad and coordinated stoppage from Isfahan and Borujerd to Mashhad and ports in the south.
The strike, called by the national union of truckers and drivers, has emptied highways, halted freight movement, and drawn in voices from across the country demanding action on long-standing sector grievances.
In a video from Kaveh Industrial City in Markazi province, a driver said: “Please respect each other. These men have debts, they have loans, but they stood their ground so we can fix things.”
Another video from Firoozkouh showed drivers refusing to take loads, stating: “Not a single truck moved freight today. Every driver is on strike.”
Protesters cite steep insurance costs, delays in diesel quota refills and low cargo rates as key reasons for the strike.
A driver from Dezful sent a message saying, “These trucks’ freight rates are too low. They either don’t get fuel or the diesel fuel cards are topped up late. Why has truck and driver insurance gotten so expensive?”
The scale of the action was visible in near-empty transport corridors. A driver on the Tehran-Isfahan highway filmed the road devoid of freight trucks, saying: “Today is Saturday, May 24. This is the Tehran–Isfahan highway, and there’s not a single trailer or truck in sight.”
Another video from Sabzevar showed trailers honking in unison.
In Kazerun, farmers were seen protesting the lack of available transport for their produce.
A driver from Zarand, Kerman, urged others to maintain discipline: “This video is from Zarand. No one should enter the city until we can support each other. Stand together.”
The drivers’ union, which earlier announced, “Our trucks are silent, but our voices are louder than ever,” said the strike would continue until authorities formally commit to resolving their demands.
“We won’t be deceived again,” the union said in a statement. “No driver will turn on the engine until our demands are officially recognized and enforced.”
Exiled prince Reza Pahlavi expressed support for the truckers’ nationwide strike on Friday, writing on X: “As one of the country’s vital economic pillars, your protest against unjust working and living conditions gives voice to the shared suffering of millions of Iranians crushed for years under injustice, incompetence, and corruption.”
Launched on May 18 in Bandar Abbas, the coordinated protest has since spread to over 35 cities, with truckers pledging to hold out for a full week or possibly longer if their demands remain unmet.
