At the end of the fifth day of the strike, the Union of Truckers and Drivers of Iran stated that there had been “an exceptional show of solidarity and unity” during the nationwide strike that has spread to 125 cities. The statement added: “With hope and unity, we welcome the sixth day, with the belief that we will continue the path until our demands are met.”
The statement continued: “Since the beginning of this path on May 22, thousands of honorable drivers and truckers have joined us. This solidarity is a great honor that reflects a shared understanding and a common aspiration for a better future.”
The union added in its statement that despite the “hardship and pressure” during the strike days, “our voice of unity has grown louder and our steps more resolute.”
The latest round of protests by drivers and truckers began on May 19 in Bandar Abbas, following a call by the Union of Truckers and Drivers of Iran. Protesters went on strike by halting operations at the port’s entry and exit points.
The union issued a statement saying: “We went on strike because we demand our rights. We stood together because our unity is the only thing that can turn this wheel in our favor.”
The strike continued in a coordinated manner on May 22, with truckers in dozens of Iranian cities also halting work.
Protesting drivers have said they will strike for one week in response to the reduction in diesel fuel quotas, high insurance costs, low freight rates, and other unmet professional demands.
Tehran Bus Workers’ Syndicate Backs Truckers’ Strike
On May 26, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company issued a statement in support of the nationwide truckers’ strike, stating: “Striking and protesting is a legal right of drivers and all workers.”
The statement identified key demands of the truckers, including: “clarification of insurance entitlements, enforcement of government commitments to pay the insurance share for owner-operators, reduction of freight brokerage commissions, and an end to corruption and discrimination in the cargo allocation process.”
Among the videos circulated from the strike, there are rare images of the country’s main transit routes appearing unusually empty, with barely any cargo trucks in sight.
Other videos show truckers staging coordinated protests in various cities.
As the strike by truckers and heavy vehicle drivers expanded, Kamran Mir Haji, the Prosecutor General of Fars Province, announced that legal cases were being filed to enable “judicial action” against a number of these drivers.
Grève des camionneurs en Iran : quatrième journée consécutive https://t.co/7myn8HWgeZ pic.twitter.com/s5OY4LQvdq
— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) May 26, 2025
On Monday, May 26, Mir Haji stated that judicial measures had been taken against several individuals accused of “disrupting the operations of drivers and truckers” in Fars province, some of whom had been arrested and others who now face legal proceedings.
Earlier, on Sunday, May 25, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), addressed the truckers’ issues, and Adel Najafzadeh, the representative from Khoy, warned about the “collapse of the national transportation fleet.”
In a statement on May 25, the Union of Truckers and Drivers of Iran reported that police forces had attacked some of their colleagues with pepper spray and arrested several of them.
