Poles Help Stranded Iranian Lorry Driver

An Iranian driver who was stranded after his lorry broke down in Poland received a helping hand from locals who launched a crowd-funding initiative for a new truck to take him home. 

By Friday morning, the appeal on the website zrzutka.pl had drawn more than 250,000 zlotys (59,000 euros, $65,000) in donations for Fardin Kazemi. 

The self-employed driver was forced to sleep in his American International 9670 lorry after it broke down in early December near the southern city of Czestochowa after travelling 5,550 kilometres (3,450 miles). 

Locals provided him with food and a roof over his head a few days after the vehicle broke down. 

"I am very thankful to the great Polish nation for (their) hospitality," Kazemi said. 

He was delivering raisins to Poland and was supposed to continue on to the Czech Republic to pick up goods to import to Iran, according to local media. 

After his story hit the Internet, Polish lorry-drivers joined forces to help him repair the vehicle, and when that proved impossible, they decided to crowd-fund him a new one.

A replacement lorry was found on Thursday but its seller DAF Trucks—a Dutch manufacturing company which is a division of US firm Paccar—pulled out at the last minute for fear of being affected by US sanctions against Iran. 

The organizers of the online appeal now hope to quickly find another vehicle for Kazemi, according to a video posted to Facebook. 

Photo: Zrzutka

Iran's Industry and Roads Ministers Resign

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has accepted the resignation of the embattled ministers of industry and roads, a statement on the presidential website said Saturday.

The president thanked industry minister Mohammad Shariatmadari and roads minister Abbas Akhoundi's "selfless service" and "sincere efforts" during their tenures and appointed two acting ministers.

Reza Rahmani, current deputy industries minister, will take over for Shariatmadari and the current governor of Mazandaran, Mohammad Eslami, will become acting roads minister effective immediately, the website said.

The two ministers reportedly handed in their resignations over a month ago as lawmakers were preparing impeachment proceedings against them.

Rumours of Shariatmadari's resignation first surfaced mid-September but were quickly denied by the ministry.

Akhoundi published his resignation letter dated September 1 on Saturday, pointing to a "difference of opinion" as the main cause.

Rouhani's labour and economy ministers were sacked by the parliament in August over their handling of an economic crisis, partly triggered by the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpoisition of sanctions.

Rouhani himself was summoned to the parliament to answer questions from lawmakers on August 28, a first in his five years in power, and only the second time for a sitting president.

Lawmakers were also ready to impeach education minister Mohammad Bathaei but called it off on September 2 due to the upcoming school year.

Photo Credit: IRNA