Abdul Hamid: Iran and Pakistan Should Engage in Dialogue; Protesters in Zahedan Chant 'Death to Khamenei'

Mawlawi Abdul Hamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, urged the governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan to resolve their issues through 'dialogue' and 'diplomacy' during his Friday sermon on January 19. This prominent Sunni figure recalled the 'good' and 'long-standing' relations between the two countries, stating that the exchange of fire benefits neither nation nor government. According to him, in the recent exchange of fire between Iran and Pakistan, most victims were children and women. Mawlawi Abdul Hamid advised both governments to listen to the grievances of their people. This notable Iranian Baloch figure also urged the Pakistani government to pay more attention to the issues in Balochistan. Images shared on social media indicated the presence of government forces and checkpoints around Makki Mosque in rainy Zahedan. After the Friday prayers, Zahedan worshippers held a protest against the missile attacks by the governments of Iran and Pakistan on the Baloch-populated border areas of both countries, chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic and Pakistan. According to shared posts on social media, slogans such as 'Death to Khamenei', 'Death to Pakistan', 'No to the Genocide of Balochs', and 'Sepah, you are our ISIS' were used by the protesters to express their opposition to the killing of Balochs during the exchange of fire between the governments of Iran and Pakistan. Abdol Sattar Doshoqi, in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America, described the conflicts between the governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan as a 'lose-lose' situation for the Baloch people and a 'win-win' for both governments. He referred to 'women', 'children', and 'truth' as the three victims of the conflict between Iran and Pakistan. Images attributed to destroyed homes in Saravan due to missile strikes by the Pakistani army were also shared. The U.S. emphasized the necessity of 'restraint' from both Iran and Pakistan, stating that it does not want the conflicts to escalate. The spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government stated that the Islamic Republic lacks the courage to attack Israeli bases. Tensions in the region have increased, with Pakistan asking its airlines to avoid Iranian airspace. Reactions to the Pakistani attack on the day of Khamenei's poetry included Prince Reza Pahlavi stating that the Islamic Republic is a 'terrorism-breeding' entity. President Biden's response to the Iran-Pakistan conflicts noted that the Islamic Republic is 'not favored' in the region. Reactions to the labeling of victims of the Pakistani attack as 'foreign nationals' included statements that they are 'the truest children of Iran'. Pakistan's retaliatory attack on 'seven points inside Iran' resulted in 'nine deaths'. The U.S. stated that Iran's recent missile attacks violate the sovereignty of Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan. The contradictory behavior of the Islamic Republic was highlighted by Amir Abdollahian, who referred to Pakistan as a brotherly and neighboring country.