Iran Farmers Demand Lawmaker To Deliver On Promise To Pray For Rain
Farmers in Esfahan entered the office of a lawmaker and demanded he deliver on his promise of prayers for rain, saying they would not leave until it rains.
Farmers in Esfahan entered the office of a lawmaker and demanded he deliver on his promise of prayers for rain, saying they would not leave until it rains.
Iranian media published a video of the farmers sitting in the office Hossein Mirzaei a cleric and a member of parliament representing a district of Esfahan. Mirzaei had earlier said that special prayers for rain could help alleviate drought in the province. Farmers who have long blamed the government for mismanaging water resources decided to stage a protest.
Farmers around the ancient city of Esfahan have been protesting since 2017 for lack of irrigation water that has been diverted by the government to the neighboring Yazd province. These protests at times have been rowdy but so far authorities have failed to solve the problem.
During the sit-in at the lawmaker’s office, the farmers said they will wait until he shows up and prays for rain and will leave only when it rains.
The Islamic Republic newspaper wrote, “This gathering is in reality a protest to those who instead of taking practical steps to solve problems, invite the people to pray.”
