Taha Ghaffari, Iranian runner who holds two world medals, one Asian medal, and several national medals, is transporting goods on foot to make a living.

The runner has a national gold medal and silver as the runner-up team in Asian Youth Games in 2014. In recent days, a photo of him carrying goods on foot has gone viral in Iranian social media.

Regarding his work, he told TASNIM News Agency: “The conditions are terrible, and I do this to make a living. I carry goods like clothing five hours a day and get 160000 tomans for it (about 12 dollars) for it. Being a Kulbar (Carrying goods over the border on foot) is very difficult and people die doing it. Sometimes you are at 2500-meter height while carrying goods. It’s unimaginable how difficult it is.”

Ghaffari says that he is not ashamed of what he is doing to make a living. Despite all its difficulties, he considers it an honest job.

He continued: “I only wish to be able to train with peace of mind and make my country proud by raising its flag.”

The Islamic Republic considers Kulbars to be smugglers and has recently shot and killed several of them, even though most Kulbars have no other income other than carrying goods across the border in terrible conditions and live in poverty.