Despite Condemning Armed Actions; Coordinated Attacks by Islamic Republic Media Against Molavi Abdulhamid

One day after armed individuals attacked Police Station 16 in Zahedan, media close to the Islamic Republic and those affiliated with military and security institutions have, in a coordinated action, directed their criticisms towards Molavi Abdulhamid. This approach was initiated just minutes after the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan issued a statement. The first article against Molavi Abdulhamid was published only a few minutes after his statement by the Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, titled "Mr. Abdulhamid! You are responsible for creating the groundwork for today's terrorist operation," stating that after the bloody Friday of Zahedan in October 2022, Molavi Abdulhamid became a "platform for the counter-revolution." The author believes that his initial refusal to accept a team sent from Tehran on behalf of Ali Khamenei last October, his critical remarks, and his request for foreign experts to visit the Islamic Republic's prisons laid the groundwork for this attack. Similar articles were published on various websites and media outlets affiliated with different institutions of the Islamic Republic. This trend spread to the pages of government-aligned newspapers on Sunday, with several Tehran-based newspapers publishing similar content. On Sunday, the Islamic Republic newspaper wrote that this attack and the martyrdom of two police officers stationed at this police station were a "direct result of the extremist remarks of those who have, in recent months, misused Friday prayer platforms" and other propaganda resources in Sistan and Baluchestan to "sow seeds of distrust in society." The Kayhan newspaper, managed by a direct representative of Ali Khamenei, also attacked Molavi Abdulhamid, publishing reports and accusations made by Tasnim against him, stating that "when incitement and calls for rebellion were made, Molavi did not stop his close associates even yesterday, when he set aside his previous fatwas about women and spoke new words to attract the attention of sick minds, and the result of his words was increased insecurity in the province and even a terrorist attack near Makki Mosque, which made him so disturbed and worried that he issued a statement." The conservative website 'Alif' also attributed the attack on the police station to Molavi Abdulhamid's actions and threatened him with consequences. According to this website, Molavi is not supposed to "cross security boundaries." The author of this article also referred to the numerous security teams and bodyguards of Molavi Abdulhamid, emphasizing that "the door does not always turn on this axis; when the time comes, the fabric of these false accusations, the intensification of the atmosphere, and incitements will be dismantled." These attacks against Molavi Abdulhamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, come just hours after he issued a statement following the attack on Police Station 16, declaring: "Although the dimensions of this incident are not clear to me yet and I am unaware of the nature of this attack and which group or individuals are behind it, I preemptively express my concern and disavowal of any form of violence and armed attack and any action that causes insecurity." On the morning of Saturday, July 8, several armed individuals attacked Police Station 16 in Zahedan and clashed with the stationed forces. This confrontation ended after several hours, resulting in the deaths of two police officers and four attackers. From the very first moments of this attack, various images, even from the moment the attackers entered the street where the police station is located, were recorded and broadcasted by "bystanders." Images of forces being dispatched to the scene from other locations were also recorded, and even drone footage of the clashes was captured, which has been circulating in the form of clips in the Islamic Republic's media since last night. The way this attack was covered in media affiliated with the Islamic Republic's security institutions raised speculations among users in the virtual space. Roya Karimi Majd, a journalist, reacted to the coverage of this attack in a tweet, stating: "Isn't this precise and coherent coverage of a surprise attack strange?" Other users also shared similar views. The group "Jish al-Adl" claimed responsibility for the attack on Police Station 16 in Zahedan on July 8, stating that this action was in response to the "bloody Friday of Zahedan" that was caused by this very police station. This statement refers to the bloody Friday of October 8 last year when protesters moved towards Police Station 16 after Friday prayers but were shot at by security forces, resulting in around 100 deaths, including several children. However, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan emphasized in his statement yesterday that "our way is to pursue community problems" through "negotiation and constructive criticism" and stressed the preservation of "territorial integrity and security of the country." Molavi Abdulhamid Ismailzahi, in part of his statement, emphasized addressing "legitimate rights" through "correct and peaceful" means and urged the people of Zahedan to maintain "calm and restraint" and to avoid any action that causes "insecurity."