It seems that the painful events stemming from inefficiency, lack of modernization, negligence, and irresponsibility will not release the long-suffering people of Iran from their grip. It feels like we are condemned to witness devastating disasters every few years, events that inflict deep wounds on the soul and psyche of Iranians, leaving scars that remain for years. From the Sanchi oil tanker and the Plasco building to the Metropol Abadan collapse and the downing of the Ukrainian plane, and now the explosion and collapse at the Tabas coal mine, which claimed the lives of 52 hardworking miners, once again plunging their families and the grieving nation of Iran into mourning. But how long will such incidents continue to happen with no action, and how long will the culprits remain indifferent? How much longer must the burden of these inefficiencies and crises weigh on the tired shoulders of the Iranian people without any plan to resolve these problems? Sadly, some officials, comfortably secure in their positions, calmly stated, “Such accidents happen all over the world, these are inevitable.” To these officials, we say: yes, such tragic accidents happen globally, but don’t you think the frequency of these heartbreaking events exceeds global standards?

Mining is one of the most difficult, exhausting, and dangerous jobs worldwide. A miner is forced to work 700 to 1,000 meters underground, where the risk of oxygen shortages exists, along with the dangers of collapses, explosions, inhalation of toxic gases, and suffocation. According to global standards, in 2024 (1403), miners should be equipped with all safety tools and equipment so that in the event of an accident, they can save their lives using modern equipment. However, in all the tragic incidents mentioned earlier, there is one common missing link: the lack of safety. While workers are responsible for following safety guidelines and warnings, this alone is not enough. More importantly, it is the “safety equipment” that the employer must provide. But, according to one of the survivors of the Tabas mine disaster, the only priority for the mine’s managers was “extraction,” meaning “more profit,” with no regard for the lives of the miners.

In this situation, the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade (or in reality, the government), which oversees the country’s mines, is responsible as the “employer” in state-owned mines and the “supervisor” in private mines. They should be highly sensitive to the safety and lives of miners, prioritizing their well-being. This critical point was completely overlooked in the tragic Tabas coal mine incident. What’s even more disheartening is that these noble miners, with a minimum wage of approximately 12 million tomans per month, take on such dangerous work where basic safety equipment is absent. Despite this, these workers are forced to engage in this risky job to provide an honest living for their small families. Meanwhile, these same individuals hear daily that some official or so-called Aghazadeh (privileged elite) is embezzling billions through corruption and fleeing abroad, with no legal action to apprehend them. Even worse, some of these individuals, despite their illicit billion-dollar wealth, walk freely inside the country without anyone daring to question them. But the painful reality for the workers is this: “One of the miner’s wives goes to the hospital for childbirth, the mine collapses, and the hardworking miner, who died deep underground, will never get to see his child.”

At 7 a.m. on September 23 (2 Mehr), the families of the deceased miners rushed to the vehicle carrying the bodies. Wailing, their wives and mothers desperately wanted to see their loved ones’ bodies but were prevented from doing so. The explosion at the Tabas coal mine occurred around 9 p.m., causing some workers to suffocate, and 52 miners lost their lives. One of the miners, who has worked at the mine for over a year, said, “Mining work is very tough and exhausting; we work daily from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. (12-hour shifts).”

Hossein Karami, a miner from the Tabas mine, spoke about the safety equipment in the mine: “They didn’t even provide us with a basic sensor, and the minimum equipment we had was just a self-rescue oxygen capsule.” Karami was working in Block B of the mine when the explosion occurred in Block C. He added, “The workload was so heavy that we didn’t even notice the explosion at first.” Even more painful is that their monthly wage was 12 million tomans, despite the harsh conditions and long hours previously mentioned. Karami continued, “What mattered most to the mine managers was ‘extraction,’ and nothing else.”

Javad Khosrowshiri, who has worked at the Tabas mine for over two years, said, “On the day of the accident, we were resting outside the mine when we heard about the incident and rushed to the site. At first, they didn’t let us enter the tunnel to rescue our colleagues, but after half an hour, it became clear that no help was coming soon, and they announced that anyone who volunteered could go in.” He added, “After entering, I realized that some of my colleagues had died, including three of my friends. The grief we carry will not fade easily.”

Mohammad Behmedi, a miner who was injured in the accident and had only been employed for three months, said, “It was after 9 p.m. when the mine exploded, and I was hospitalized due to gas inhalation.” He continued, “There were serious shortcomings in the mine’s safety measures; for example, there was no warning system to alert other blocks and prevent the workers’ deaths or the severity of the accident.” The injured miner also said, “Officials from the Ministry of Industry and Mines didn’t even visit us at the hospital.” Behmedi, who also mentioned his meager salary of 12 million tomans, said, “After witnessing the deaths of my friends and colleagues, even if I remain unemployed, I will never work in a mine again.” He called on the authorities to investigate the cause of the incident, a tragic event in which young workers lost their lives, leaving their families and colleagues with a deep wound.

Hadi Nobaghi, 45, who worked at the Tabas mine with five friends to secure an honest job, has five children and has been working in the coal mine for several years. On the night of the accident, he risked his life and managed to save several colleagues by helping them escape the tunnel, but in the end, he lost consciousness from gas inhalation and collapsed. Nobaghi recounted the tragic event to Ettela’at newspaper: “At the time of the accident, I was working in Block B when suddenly the safety officer shouted, ‘Run! Gas is spreading in the mine!'” He continued, “At first, we didn’t know what was happening, but his screams terrified us, and we dropped everything to run out of the mine. When we got outside, I didn’t see my friends, so I went back in and found that many of my colleagues had tragically died from gas inhalation.” He added, “Some were still breathing, so I helped them out, but as I went deeper, I encountered more lifeless bodies. I was about to enter another tunnel when one of the engineers shouted, ‘Don’t go in, it’s dangerous!’ But I couldn’t stop, searching for my friends to see if any of them were still alive.” Nobaghi continued, “Fifteen people were inside, and they had all lost their lives, but one person was suffering from severe nausea due to methane gas inhalation. I got him out too and went back in again. What I saw next will haunt me for the rest of my life because all of them had suffocated to death.”

What happened to the miners at the Tabas mine was a painful tragedy that deeply wounded the emotions of many Iranians. The question that remains for the families of the deceased and for many others is why a country and nation that possesses some of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves, as well as other abundant resources for generating wealth, must live like this. Why must the youth of this land risk their lives for a pittance, leaving their families in mourning? Why is so much wealth being spent on other countries when the people of Iran themselves are in desperate need, and why shouldn’t this God-given wealth be used to ensure the welfare and comfort of Iranians? Why, despite all the advancements in modern technology and the wealth of resources, are there no safety systems in place in the country’s mines to prevent the tragic and senseless loss of our fellow citizens? Why are the authorities so indifferent to the well-being, safety, and security of the people? This indifference cannot continue, and eventually, those responsible for this situation will soon have to answer for their actions before the law—a law that is stringent in such matters and allows no leniency.