The Kolbars of Iran’s Kurdistan

After a short cigarette break, a fully laden kolbar sets out on the final leg of the journey. Exposure to the mercy of the elements is not the only risk for kolbars, who are regularly monitored and frequently shot at by Iranian border patrol officers
After a short cigarette break, a fully laden kolbar sets out on the final leg of the journey. Exposure to the mercy of the elements is not the only risk for kolbars, who are regularly monitored and frequently shot at by Iranian border patrol officers

Hundreds of porters, locally known as ‘kolbars’, cross the mountainous border between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan all year round. With Iran’s economic crisis deepening, ever more Kurds are choosing this poorly paid and extremely dangerous job as the only way to make a living and provide for their families. More...