Carrying goods across the western borders of Iran — known as kolbari — is an old phenomenon, but in recent years, with rising unemployment and poverty in border regions, it has become the only means of survival for thousands. There are no official statistics on the number of porters (kolbars), but human rights organizations estimate that more than 70,000 people in the provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and West Azerbaijan are engaged in this dangerous work. Many of them are young men who are either educated or have no other employment opportunities.
The paths taken by kolbars usually pass through mountains under harsh weather conditions. In winter, temperatures drop below -10°C, and porters carry heavy loads on their backs for hours. Falling from cliffs, avalanches, frostbite, and gunfire from border guards are among the main dangers they face.
According to data from the Kurdpa Human Rights Organization, between 2012 and October 2025, at least 2,574 kolbars have been killed or injured in Iran’s Kurdish border regions — 656 killed and 1,918 injured. The data shows a general upward trend in casualties since the early 2010s, peaking between 2017 and 2024.
The year 2023 saw the highest number of casualties during this period, but in 2025, reports indicate a relative decline. However, this drop is not due to improved economic conditions or new welfare policies — it stems from increased militarization of border areas, the closure of main kolbar routes, installation of barbed wire along the frontier, and the construction of new military outposts.
“Legal” Kolbari: Structural Discrimination and Chronic Poverty
Despite the regime’s security-driven crackdown on kolbars, the Iranian government introduced a “border transit card” system a few years ago. These cards allow residents of border regions to import limited quantities of goods through designated routes. However, kolbars and civil activists say these cards provide neither safety nor support. Due to quota limits and administrative corruption, many are forced to use informal, high-risk routes. These cards provide no insurance or legal protection, leaving the government unaccountable in the event of death or injury.
Human rights activists argue that through such policies, the regime restricts and controls the livelihood of kolbars, fostering dependence that suppresses their social and economic demands.
According to economic experts, kolbari is a direct product of structural poverty and regional discrimination. Iran’s western border provinces suffer from some of the highest unemployment rates and lowest levels of development. Factories and job opportunities are scarce, and many infrastructure projects have been left unfinished for years. In these conditions, kolbari remains the only source of income for thousands of families.
The Iranian regime publishes no statistics on the number of kolbars, the scale of casualties, or the types of goods transported. All available information comes from field observations, interviews with families, and reports by human rights organizations. This gap between reality and official data is the result of censorship and the securitization of the kolbari phenomenon.
The roots of kolbari lie in poverty, discrimination, and security-driven policies. As long as the government refuses to take responsibility for job creation, economic development, and social support, this phenomenon will persist. Kolbari is not a choice—it is a necessity, and until the underlying structures change, this compulsion will continue.
A Kolbar’s Account
When winter arrives, kolbars sometimes set out for the border at night through snow-covered mountains to evade border patrols.
For each trip, kolbars earn about 2 million tomans (equivalent to 20 million rials or roughly $18 USD). But even this small amount comes at the risk of their lives.
Despite years of criticism from civil organizations and media outlets, the Iranian regime has not only failed to offer any solution but has intensified its security measures. Borders have been mined, and military presence has increased. However, as civil activists note, “greater pressure only forces kolbars to choose even more dangerous routes.”
In recent years, even children and teenagers have entered this line of work. Human rights groups have documented cases of kolbars under 18 among those killed.
From the Border to Tehran: A Distance Unseen
In regime-controlled media, kolbari is often described as “smuggling,” but for border residents, it is “life” itself.
While few in Tehran or other major cities are aware of the kolbars’ daily suffering, thousands of men and women in border regions end each night in fear and hope—only to climb the mountains again at dawn.
