Bazaar in Iran - Oct. 5, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No. 712

Bazaar in Iran

Gold sellers strike in Tehran Qazvin Ardabil Mashhad Hamedan and Shiraz continues
Oct. 4, 2010
On Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010 the strike of gold sellers in Tehran, Qazvin and Ardabil continued. Mashhad gold sellers had gone on strike from one week ago and the gold shops in Hamedan were completely shut down. Despite regime threats, gold sellers in Shiraz kept their shops closed and gold sellers in Bandar Abbas also joined the strike.
According to reports from Tehran, in addition to the Gold Bazaar, gold sellers in Karamikhan Street also closed shop and joined the strikes. The iron bazaar of Ahan Shahd Abad and other iron shops were also closed and joined the strike.
On Sunday, Qazvin gold sellers were on strike as in previous days. One of the gold sellers in Khayam Street said, “There is really no place to back down”.
“The people don’t have money and they sometimes can even pay for their daily life. They cannot put any more pressure on the people and this is very cruel. Therefore the Bazaar will definitely go into recession more than before and these strikes will continue until all our demands are met which means that it will continue until the government backs off from the tax increase”.
In Hamedan almost all gold sellers started their strikes from October 1 and it still continued up to yesterday.
In Shiraz despite threats from officials, gold sellers started their strike on September 23 and are still on strike. One of the gold sellers in Mollah Sadra Street said that they have been on strike for 11 days and that all his colleagues are standing firm and will not give in to force.
In Bandar Abbas, gold sellers joined the strikes in various cities. On Sunday, gold sellers in Moradi Intersection, Tala Bazaar, Setareye Jounoub and gold sellers in the Bazaar closed shop and went on strike.
In Mashhad, gold sellers have closed their shops for more than 10 days and it was still closed yesterday. In this time, these gold sellers gathered in protest a number of times outside the Provincial Office and Judiciary. They have said that they are determined to continue their strike until these pressures and taxes are lifted.
In Ardabil, it has been 12 days that gold sellers have been on strike. According to gold sellers, all towns in Ardabil including Khalkhal and Meshkin Shahr are also closed. These gold merchants have also stated that they are determined to continue their strikes until the end.
In Tabriz, gold merchants are still on strike and gold shops in the Amir Kabir Bazaar, Mohammad Bazaar, Amir Bazaar and the Gold Bazaar near Abresan are all on strike.


Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)