In recent weeks, the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified its pressure on Sunni clerics. On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, Moulavi Abdolhakim Seydzahed, the Friday prayer leader and deputy education director of the Ghashte seminary, was summoned and interrogated for hours by Saravan’s IRGC intelligence. This interrogation was due to his remarks during the Eid al-Adha ceremony, where he urged Sunni Muslims to boycott the presidential elections.
Seydzahed emphasized the need for justice and the inclusion of Sunnis in the country’s administration and universities, asserting that boycotting the elections was necessary until these demands were met. He stated that Sunnis would only participate in elections when they had a fair share in provincial and national governance and when justice prevailed.
Additionally, on June 12, 2024, four teachers from the Ahnāf seminary in Khaf were arrested by security forces in Urmia. These teachers were identified as Moulavi Shamseddin Motahhari, Hossein Ahmad Shahidi, Gol Mohammad Mansouri, and Fazel Moradi. Their whereabouts and the reasons for their detention remain unknown.
Furthermore, Moulavi Abdol-Ahad Parsa, the Friday prayer leader and director of the religious school in Taghan village, South Khorasan, was dismissed from his position and banned from preaching without prior notice. This action was due to his support for Moulavi Abdulhamid’s stance following the “Bloody Friday” events in Zahedan.
These measures occur as many Sunni clerics and followers, alongside numerous Iranians, have boycotted the presidential elections. Religious and human rights activists believe that this pressure stems from the Sunni community’s critical stance towards the regime.
