Head of fabric traders arrested in Iran's Bazaar protests

Head of the union of fabric traders in Tehran Bazaar, a major business centre, was arrested, according to Iranian news websites.

Kaleme reports that Security Forces along with government forces in plain clothes shot tear gas bombs at protesters in the Bazaar today and arrested the head of the union of Fabric traders.

A group of Bazaar traders have gone on strike since Tuesday to protest a new tax law. The strike has started in the gold and fabric traders section of the Bazaar and still continues in some sections of it.

Kaleme reports that Mr. Motamedi, the fabric traders’ representative, was arrested while he was calling on people and Bazaar traders through a loudspeaker to gather in Sabze-Meydan Square.

The protests have continued although Mohammad Ali Zeyghami, the deputy trade minister announced on Tuesday that the 70 percent tax increase was scrapped and told Mehr News Agency that this was “a mere mistake” caused by miscommunication and wrong interpretation of the law. He maintained that the said tax increase is actually less than 30 percent.

Images of Tehran Bazaar dated today:

A meeting set up on Wednesday between National Council of Trade Unions and the Tax Office to announce terms of agreement could not end the disputes.

ISNA reports that Ali Asgari, head of national tax affairs, left the meeting once the traders’ representatives became more emphatic on their protests.

Last the value added tax law was suspended after Tehran Bazaar went on strike.

The law which was passed by the parliament and approved by the Guardian Council two years ago was supposed to have been put into effect last September. However, every government effort to put it into action has been halted by the traders’ strike at the Bazaar.