Iran's Sunni Leader Calls For The Release Of Detainees

The outspoken leader of Iran's Sunnis, Mowlavi Abdolhamid has called for the release of worshipers and citizens of Zahedan who were arrested by security forces last week.

On Friday, the people of Zahedan silently marched in protest amid internet shutdowns in a highly securitised environment in response to a request by Abdolhamid.

Zahedan, which is the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, has been the epicenter of ongoing anti-government protests since the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was killed in police custody for improper hijab in September 2022.

In his weekly remarks during Friday prayers, Abdolhamid also spoke about the ongoing Hamas-Israel war and called it a “difficult situation.”

“The United States and Europe should not allow Israel a free hand,” Abdolhamid said referring to the bombings in Gaza. The cleric also said last week that the war had reached a “dangerous place” and called for the release of hostages brutally taken by Hamas.

Abdolhamid, renowned for his outspoken views, has expressed his criticism of Hamas' declaration of war against Israel on October 7.

"We will not blindly support a Muslim who goes too far and ignores international law and attacks women and kills children," he said, going against the regime's rhetoric that Hamas must continue to crush Israel until it no longer exists.

His remarks stand in contrast to the stance of the Iranian regime, which has consistently advocated for the "destruction" of Israel, effectively rejecting the notion of a two-state solution.

Iranian authorities exploit every opportunity to underscore the imperative of Israel's "destruction," a slogan that has been accompanied by substantial financial support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.