ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Protests and unrest in Iran, particularly in the western Kurdish areas (Rojhelat), have significantly affected transportation and tourism movements between the Islamic republic and the Kurdistan Region, with a sharp decline in travelers and widespread disruption caused by internet blackouts.
Iran has witnessed widespread nationwide demonstrations since late December. Thousands of protesters and security personnel are believed to have been killed. Ongoing internet blackouts and disrupted phone lines have made it extremely difficult for media outlets and monitoring groups to verify the exact death toll.
At Erbil’s main transport terminal serving the Haji Omaran international border crossing, the impact is clearly visible. Around 150 taxis operate at the terminal, but drivers say daily trips to the border have dropped by half. Before the protests, more than 100 taxis transported passengers to Haji Omaran each day; that figure has now fallen to about 50.
The deteriorating security situation and communication blackout have also forced travelers to cut their trips short.
Aylem Ahmadi, a young man from Rojhelat who has traveled to Erbil for tourism, says he has to urgently return to Urmia, a Kurdish city in Iran's West Azerbaijan province.
“I am very worried about my family. The internet has been cut off in Iran for several days and I have no news of them, so I am returning to be near them and monitor the situation,” Ahmadi told Rudaw on Thursday.
Drivers operating on the Erbil–Haji Omaran route say the internet shutdown is the main reason for the slowdown.