Explained: why Iran’s truckers are on strike and what it means

The truckers’ strike is one of Iran’s largest labor protests in recent years—halting freight, disrupting supply chains, and exposing deeper undercurrents of discontent in a nation already under economic strain.

While the immediate impact is felt on the roads, the strike’s significance reaches beyond transport, tapping into wider frustrations over living costs, state policy, and the struggle for basic economic dignity.

When and where did it start?

The strike began on May 22 in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and spread quickly. Within two days, drivers in dozens of cities joined.

Truckers in more than 135 cities and towns are on strike now, according to the Alliance of Iran Truckers and Truck Drivers’ Unions (AITTD).

Key provinces crucial to transport, industry, and agriculture—including Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Tehran, Yazd, Kerman, and Esfahan—have been especially affected.

Why are they striking?

Truckers are protesting deteriorating working conditions and rising costs. Their demands include:

• Affordable fuel and higher quotas
• Relief from insurance and toll fees
• Improved road safety and infrastructure
• Fairer freight rate calculations, which are state-regulated

At the center of the protest is a new diesel pricing plan that drivers say will make their work financially unsustainable.

What’s the issue with fuel?

Truckers currently receive heavily subsidized diesel at 3,000 rials per liter, based on GPS-tracked mileage and valid cargo waybills. That is about 1.5 cents per gallon.

A new three-tier pricing plan, set for 21 June, would sharply raise prices for fuel used beyond quota limits—up to 250,000 rials per liter at market rate.

Officials say the changes are aimed at curbing smuggling, but drivers argue that quotas don’t reflect real freight needs and that the costs could ruin livelihoods.

Who is organizing the strike?

The AITTD, a semi-underground network active in a 2018 strike, is coordinating the protest via Telegram. Though not officially recognized by the state, it has become a central organizing force.

Government-recognized unions, such as the Union of Nationwide Transportation Truckers’ Cooperatives (UNTTC), have criticized the AITTD, including during a smaller 2023 protest.

How has the government responded?

Authorities have offered limited concessions while cracking down on dissent.

The diesel pricing plan has been suspended pending review, and officials pledged fuel bonuses for non-striking drivers.

At the same time, security forces have arrested drivers accused of road blockades or filming strike scenes. In Kordestan Province, clashes were reported, with police using pepper spray to disperse crowds.

Are others joining in?

Yes. The strike has drawn support from other labor groups and civil society. Some prominent dissidents have endorsed it, and drivers from Snapp—Iran’s version of Uber—have posted videos backing the truckers or joining the protest.

What’s the impact?

The strike’s effects were immediate. Videos and reports show stalled deliveries of agricultural goods, industrial inputs, and supplies for key sectors like steel, petrochemicals, and automotive manufacturing.

The disruption underscores how essential truckers are to Iran’s economic infrastructure.

How important are trucks to Iran’s economy?

Trucks move 80–90% of all domestic freight. In the year to March 2023, nearly 505 million tons of goods were moved by road.

More than 11,000 trucks also cross Iran’s borders daily, underlining the sector’s critical role in regional trade.

As of March 2024, around 365,000 trucks were active in Iran, most privately owned. Only about 28,000 are operated by hired drivers.

The sector’s fragmented, owner-operator model makes it difficult for the government to manage—and easier for strikes to spread.