A nationwide strike by Iranian truck drivers, entering its fourth day on May 25th, has paralyzed transport in over 40 cities, signaling a potent escalation of public anger against the clerical regime’s disastrous economic policies. The strike, triggered by regime policies that have caused critical problems for the livelihoods of the drivers, has become a flashpoint, igniting and coinciding with a wave of protests across various sectors, all grappling with the severe economic hardship orchestrated by the regime.
The Truckers’ Uprising: A Stand Against Economic Ruin
From Dorud in Lorestan province and Sanandaj in Kurdistan to major hubs like Bandar Abbas, Tehran, Isfahan, and Yazd, truck drivers have brought their vehicles to a standstill. The immediate catalyst is the government’s plan to introduce a three-tiered pricing system for diesel fuel.
While a subsidized rate of 300 tomans per liter will allegedly remain for “active fleets with online freight bills,” drivers anticipate being forced to buy fuel at semi-subsidized rates (around 28,500 tomans) or even free market rates based on Persian Gulf FOB prices (around 42,000 tomans). This represents a catastrophic increase from the current subsidized rate, rendering their operations unsustainable.
Drivers argue that even with the previous 300-toman diesel, low freight rates barely covered costs. The impending hike, coupled with existing burdens such as exorbitant repair costs, high insurance premiums, road tolls, and insufficient fuel quotas, means many will be forced to abandon their livelihoods. Reports indicate that in the 72 hours leading up to May 25th, cargo declaration halls, fruit and vegetable markets, and cement, steel, and iron depots in many city terminals remained empty as truckers refused to load.
Videos of strikes by truck drivers in Bandar Abbas, Isfahan, and Marvdasht.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/8NFP5YsHdM
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 25, 2025
The Union of Truckers and Drivers Associations of Iran issued a defiant statement on May 25th, asserting: “We will not start [our trucks] until you give a real guarantee… Protest is not a crime, but our legal right. A driver protesting for his bread and dignity is not a rioter!”
Regime’s Response: Repression and Deception
The regime’s response has been predictable. On May 25th, in Sanandaj, security forces attacked striking drivers with pepper spray and arrested several individuals. The Truckers’ Union dismissed visits by officials, including a deputy from the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization and a Social Security Organization deputy, as mere ploys “to silence the drivers’ rightful voice,” stating, “Behind the smiles and media promises, lie suppression and intimidation. But we drivers will not be fooled by these shows. Not today, not tomorrow!”
May 25—Sanandaj, western Iran
Continued strikes by truck drivers in tandem with other cities across Iran, protesting low fuel rations, high costs, and low pay.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/0giocEH9K7— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 25, 2025
Adding to the regime’s dismissive stance, Javad Nikbin, a member of the budget committee of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), on May 25th, labeled the widespread protests as “unnatural.” He claimed, “Truckers, miners, and factory owners are protesting. This volume of protests is unnatural. It seems these days a hidden hand is pushing people towards unrest, protest, and gatherings.”
Echoes of Discontent: A Nation Protests
The truckers’ strike is not an isolated event but the most visible manifestation of a deep-seated national crisis. On the same day, May 25th, numerous other groups voiced their grievances:
- Shoemakers in Tehran protested outside a Social Security Organization (SSO) center against increased social security insurance rates.
- Social Security retirees in Shush, southwest Iran, braved temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, protesting low pensions and dire economic conditions, chanting, “We will not live under tyranny.” In Ahvaz, SSO retirees echoed these demands, calling for “unity in protest against poverty and corruption.”
May 25—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization resume protests against low pensions and other economic problems. Protesters call for "unity in protest against poverty and corruption."#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/2GOPEYdsJm— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 25, 2025
- Retirees from various sectors (government, social security, healthcare, telecom) in Kermanshah, western Iran, protested the economic hardship inflicted by the regime, chanting, “Neither cold nor heat can stop us.”
- Farmers in Ahvaz protested ongoing agricultural and water mismanagement issues, demanding, “Incompetent Minister, Resign! Resign!”
- Retirees from the steel and mining sectors rallied in front of the parliament in Tehran and also protested in Isfahan, reiterating demands for higher pensions and access to basic services. Their chants included, “How long until the problems of retirees will be solved?” and “Oh, head of the government, you lied to the nation.”
- Retired employees of the state-owned bus company (Sherkat-e Vahed) in Tehran protested the non-payment of retirement benefits and the regime’s failure to implement court rulings.
May 25—Tehran, Iran
Retired employees of the state-owned bus company (Sherkat-e Vahed) protesting the non-payment of retirement benefits and the failure to implement payments based on the ruling of the Administrative Court of Justice.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/FbEKnGfnnP— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 25, 2025
Economic Mismanagement: A Regime Adrift
The regime’s justification for the devastating diesel policy—that they aim to manage fuel consumption, reduce smuggling, and ensure fair quota allocation—rings hollow to those whose livelihoods are threatened. Many trucks are forced to use higher-priced fuel due to delays in quota allocation or shortages at stations, making operations uneconomical. As truckers are saying, if the quota is sufficient and correct, they will not need more diesel at a higher rate.
Even regime insiders like MP Nikbin acknowledge the dire straits, lamenting “severe price increases, power outages, and gas shortages” alongside the truckers’ protests. This self-acknowledged crisis underscores the regime’s profound mismanagement and its detachment from the suffering of ordinary Iranians.
May 25—Urmia, northwest Iran
Fourth day of strikes by drivers across Iran. Drivers have made it clear that they will continue their strikes until their voices are heard.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/slfZ4wOfer— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 25, 2025
A Failing Regime, A Resolute People
The courageous nationwide truckers’ strike, amplified by the chorus of protests from retirees, farmers, and other workers, lays bare the Iranian regime’s utter failure to provide basic economic security for its people. Instead of addressing legitimate grievances born from years of corruption and ruinous policies, the regime resorts to violence, arrests, and dismissive rhetoric.
This wave of defiance, however, demonstrates that the Iranian people are increasingly unwilling to bear the brunt of the regime’s incompetence. The empty roads and the unified chants for rights and dignity signal a deepening crisis of legitimacy for the ruling clerics, and a growing resolve among Iranians to reclaim their country from the grip of tyranny and mismanagement.