Day Eight of the Bafgh Iron Ore Miners’ Strike

On the eighth day of their second strike around 5000 workers of the Bafgh iron ore mine protested against the arrest of their workmates.

The miners, who were picketing the governor’s office, were joined by their families and many Bafgh residents who supported their struggle.

Following a rumour that the leader of Bafgh City Council had signed the release papers of eight arrested workers, except Mohammad-Hossein Tashakori, the workers protested for the release of all miners.

On Tuesday August 19 the police arrested nine Bafgh iron ore miners following a complaint by their employer! Amir-Hossein Kargaran, Ali Sabri, Mohammad-Hossein Tashakori, Ali-Mohammad Tashakori, Kazem Kargaran, Reza Dehestani, Reza Khajehzadeh, Irani and Jalil Kamali were arrested as the two-month deadline that the workers had given their bosses and government officials in Bafgh ended. The workers’ deadline was for the full cancellation of plans to privatise the mine in Yazd Province (central Iran).

The previous protest by the 5000 Bafgh miners began in May and lasted for 39 days. It ended on June 25 after the authorities agreed to cancel the privatisation.

Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network fully supports the strikes and struggles of Bafgh mine workers against privatisation and the worsening of their pay and conditions. IWSN utterly condemns the Iranian regime’s treatment of the Bafgh mine workers and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested miners.