Shopkeepers across Iran take part in mass walkouts

Synopsis

Iranian State media reports the arrest of 12 members of an opposition network linked to Europe. The Revolutionary Guards accuse this group of planning sabotage with counter-revolutionary agents in Germany and the Netherlands. These arrests coincide with a three-day strike by shopkeepers and truck drivers across Iran, which began on Monday. Rows of shuttered shops in cities like Tehran signal the widespread support for the anti-regime protest movement, which has persisted for over two months despite violent pushback from the state. Some shop owners express their support for the protests, stating that their demands should be heard. The strike follows an announcement from a top official about the disbanding of the morality police, which has led to more women appearing in public without a hijab. However, activists warn that the morality police may have simply been replaced by other security forces, and state media has cast doubt on the actual disbandment of the group, suggesting that misinformation serves to distract from the protest movement.