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On the last day of summer 2024, Iran witnessed yet another tragic incident — an explosion in a coal mine in the Tabas region, a city known as the “Bride of the Desert.” Although this disaster marked the 11th mining accident in the first half of the year, the sheer scale of the tragedy, claiming nearly 50 lives, shook the nation. The disaster unfolded as many miners became trapped underground following the explosion and later succumbed to asphyxiation.
The rescue operation lasted for three consecutive days, during which rescue teams worked tirelessly to retrieve the bodies of miners trapped 200 meters below the surface. The heart-wrenching scenes of lifeless bodies being pulled from the wreckage, coupled with the cries of grieving families, were broadcast nationwide, painting a grim picture of the dangerous conditions in Iran’s coal mines.
The explosion occurred at the coal mines owned by Madanjo Company in Tabas, a region that holds 76% of Iran’s coal reserves. At the time of the disaster, 65 miners were on shift when the sudden release of methane gas in blocks B and C triggered the catastrophe. Iran’s underground coal mines continue to operate with outdated technology from over 50 years ago, and experts have long warned about the lack of safety regulations and oversight in these perilous work environments.
Samadi, Secretary of the Iran Coal Association, confirmed the deaths of 52 miners and injuries to more than 20 others. He explained that the explosion occurred when methane gas levels reached 3%, releasing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which are odorless and difficult to detect.
According to Iranian media reports, an alarming number of coal miners — 105 annually since 1994 — have died in similar accidents, primarily due to unsafe conditions and insufficient safety oversight.
Just months after a similar disaster at the Zemestan-Yurt coal mine in 2017, which claimed 42 lives, the company’s CEO was prosecuted. However, systemic changes to prevent such tragedies remain elusive. Ali Moghaddas Zadeh, head of the Islamic Workers’ Council of South Khorasan, revealed that the miners involved in the recent Tabas tragedy earned just 12 million tomans (about $250) per month. He lamented that if basic safety measures, such as methane gas sensors, had been in place, this disaster could have been avoided.
The mine in question, operated by Madanjo Company, was privatized in the 1990s and is part of the extensive Tabas coal mining complex. Although the region is known for its high-quality coal reserves, this tragic incident occurred in one of the less profitable sections, where safety standards were allegedly compromised.
Mohammad Nasiri, a representative from Tabas in the Iranian Parliament, stressed that while coal mine accidents are always a possibility, adherence to safety precautions can minimize these risks. Despite 27 years of operation without a major accident, the old and largely non-mechanized methods used at the mine heightened the dangers. Similarly, another parliamentarian emphasized that mechanized mines face fewer accidents, but that another source of the issue is that smaller contractors in Iran lack the financial capacity to modernize their operations.
Iran’s statistics office reports that over 76% of the country’s mines lack basic Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) units. In the first half of 2024 alone, 10 mining accidents claimed the lives of 13 workers, further underscoring the critical need for stricter safety regulations.
Immediately following this disaster, senior government officials, including the ministers of labor and industry, rushed to the scene, promising to investigate the incident and ensure justice for the victims and their families. The Ministry of Labor issued a statement pledging to use all available resources to uncover the cause of the explosion and secure the rights of the survivors. A specialized committee was also formed to review mining safety standards across Iran.
Despite these promises, similar accidents in the past have often led to temporary outrage, followed by a return to business as usual. Investigations are launched, committees are formed, but systemic problems — including outdated safety laws and weak oversight — remain unresolved.
Iran’s current labor law, dating back to 1988, is widely regarded as a major factor in the ongoing problems. This law has significant gaps, particularly when compared to international labor standards set by the International Labour Organization (ILO). While Iran is one of 187 member countries of the ILO, its labor laws often fall short in adequately protecting workers. For example, Iran’s labor regulations for workers to form independent unions or labor organizations have largely been ignored. Article 41 of Iran’s labor law in particular mandates that workers’ wages be determined based on the country’s inflation rate and the specific nature of their work. In practice, however, miners and other laborers often remain vulnerable due to deep corruption within the Islamic Republic’s government, which has long-maintained little to no regard for worker rights and safety.
Key ILO conventions on freedom of association (Convention 87) and the right to collective bargaining (Convention 98) highlight the vital role independent labor unions could play in protecting workers’ rights. However, the Iranian government has long restricted such activities, limiting workers’ ability to advocate for safer workplaces or fair compensation for the risks they face.
Recurring mining accidents point to the urgent need for comprehensive labor reforms in Iran, particularly in the mining sector, which would entail the establishment of independent labor unions and the enforcement of existing safety regulations. The principle of “tripartism,” endorsed by the ILO, promotes collaboration between workers, employers, and the government to resolve labor disputes and improve working conditions. This approach would allow Iranian miners to voice their concerns through strong, independent unions capable of holding employers and the government accountable.
Ultimately, unless Iran addresses the structural issues that allow such tragedies to occur — outdated labor laws, inadequate safety measures, and the lack of independent unions — miners in the country will continue to work under dangerous conditions with little hope for change.
The Tabas mining disaster serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to prioritize workers’ rights in Iran, especially in hazardous industries like mining. The government, employers, and international organizations must work together to ensure that such tragedies become a thing of the past.
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