“People’s lives are worthless!” I repeatedly heard Iranians in the villages and the cities make this despairing declaration. Before the sanctions were imposed on Iran, Darab and other workers would travel to Iran’s Persian Gulf area to work for oil and gas companies. Almost all young workers I met during my extended fieldwork in the past 15 years have been in irregular employment, rarely paid on time, with little protection from exploitative employers. President Trump’s anti-Iranian tirades leave no hope for lifting or easing sanctions on Iran. As the images of the protests in Iran appeared on screens worldwide, I thought of my conversation with Darab in his village.

Source: New York Times January 14, 2018 20:03 UTC