Mohammad (22) shares a farewell with his mother before embarking on a journey to Europe to seek better opportunities. Tehran, Iran, December 2023.
Kolbars (border couriers) carry goods, such as household appliances, mobile phones, and clothes, on their backs through treacherous terrain from Iraq and Turkey into Iranian Kurdistan. The Iranian government bans import of many such goods to protect local production and save foreign currency in the face of Western sanctions. Decades-long marginalization of Kurds means widespread unemployment in the region, driving many to kolbari. In addition, many kolbars see the activity as legitimate, as they feel ties with fellow Kurds across nation-state borders they do not acknowledge. However, kolbars risk being shot by security forces and border patrols.
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