According to a report by Radio Zamaneh, five thousand iron ore miners entered their 38th day of protests, says the spokesman for the Islamic Association of the city of Bafgh.

In an interview with ILNA, Abbas Bafghi reported that in a meeting on June 17, the minister of industry, mining and trade spoke of cancelling by the order of the president plans to sell some of the Central Iron Ore Mine to the private sector.

Abbas Bafghi said, however, that after more than a week, no written order from the president has been delivered.

He said he was told from Tehran that because workers have not returned to work, the government is now refusing to move.

The workers want the mine to remain a public asset with all of its profits reinvested into Bafgh.