Is Iran turning into a focal point of popular protests due to racism?
Iran is becoming a focal point of popular protests due to racism
Iranian officials said that four armed militants stormed a police center yesterday, Saturday, in the troubled Sistan and Baluchestan province near the Pakistani border, resulting in the killing of two security officers alongside the four attackers. The government television reported that the attack took place in Zahedan, a city in one of the poorest provinces in the country.
The report quoted the deputy governor of the province, Ali Reza Marhamati, as saying that the attackers used hand grenades, although he did not provide further details.
Beginning of unrest
The Voice of America network confirmed that the escalation of the crisis on the Iran-Pakistan border may be just the beginning of a series of new disturbances in the already fragile Iranian interior, resulting from previous popular protests.
Molavi Abdul Hamid Ismailzahi, the Sunni Imam of Zahedan, expressed his deep concern and strong condemnation of the armed attack and clashes at the police center. According to a statement issued by the media office, Imam Ismailzahi said, “This incident brought extreme sadness and regret.”
He also emphasized, “In advance, I express my deep concern and strong rejection of any form of violence, armed attacks, or any acts that could disrupt public safety. Our approach is to address social issues through ‘dialogue and constructive criticism,’ and we strongly reaffirm the preservation of ‘territorial unity and national security.'”
Suppression and discrimination
The Imam emphasized the importance of addressing “legitimate rights” through “appropriate and peaceful methods” and urged the people of Zahedan to refrain from any actions or behaviors that could lead to “security instability” and encouraged them to maintain peace and self-control.
The American network explained that human rights groups say the Baloch minority, which has a population of about two million people, has been subjected to repression and discrimination for decades. Zahedan has been the scene of weekly protests since the killing of demonstrators on September 30, 2022, despite the decline in demonstrations and disturbances in most other parts of the country.
Amnesty International reported that security forces killed more than 66 people in the crackdown on protesters. The authorities dismissed the police chief of Zahedan and the police station commander.
The network continued that the authorities blamed the Justice Army for initiating the gunfire on September 30, a militant Baloch group that claims to operate from safe havens in Pakistan. Neither the Justice Army nor any other group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In other developments, the official Iranian news agency (IRNA) reported yesterday, Saturday, that the authorities executed two men involved in the deadly attack on a mosque in the city of Shiraz on October 26, 2022, the second holiest site in Iran.
The authorities said that the two were members of the Islamic State organization and were behind the attack that resulted in the killing of at least 13 people and injuring 30 others.
The American network explained that the attack occurred while protesters throughout Iran were commemorating the 40th day since the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in detention, which sparked the largest anti-government movement in over a decade. It appears to be unrelated to the protests.
