Despite Efforts by Previous Representatives; Clear Announcement of 'Election Boycott' by Sunni Religious Figures

Mawlawi Abdollah Kurd, the Friday prayer leader of Mehristan County, announced on Friday, June 21, that the Sunni community will not participate in the '14th presidential election.' According to Halosh, the Sunni Imam emphasized the existing discrimination against the Baluch people and the Sunni community, stating, 'We, the Sunni community, do not vote for the sake of reward; we have unmet demands, and therefore we will not participate in the 14th presidential election.' Mawlawi Abdollah Kurd, speaking during the Friday prayer, added, 'We, the Sunni community, have lost lives at the borders of Iran, but what benefit have we received, and what position have we held in governments?' The Imam of Mehristan, who is aligned with other Sunni religious figures in boycotting the government elections, further questioned the Islamic Republic officials: 'In which government have we had a Sunni minister or governor that we should still want to participate in the elections?' He emphasized that 'people will not participate in the elections despite the discrimination and oppression.' Halosh reported that following rumors from some government media about Mawlawi Abdulhamid's support for certain presidential candidates, his office officially denied these rumors, stating, 'Sheikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdulhamid has not commented on any of the candidates for the 14th presidential election.' Previously, Mawlawi Abdulhamid, the Sunni Imam of Zahedan, had pointed out regarding the presidential elections in July that 'the president in Iran cannot do anything.' He stated that the prohibition of registration and presence of 'women' and 'Sunnis' for the presidency, as mentioned in Article 115 of the Constitution, does not comply with 'Islamic Sharia and international laws,' and for the past 45 years, three groups—'women,' 'Sunnis,' and those qualified and capable individuals who do not belong to a specific religious and political spectrum—have always been deprived of a significant right. Meanwhile, according to news from the 'Islahat News' website, Jalal Jalalizadeh, a representative of the Sunnis from Kurdistan, welcomed Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Kurdistan and expressed support for him, writing, 'Just as Pezeshkian supported our sister Zhina Amini, we will also support him.' This Sunni representative's support for the government elections faced strong backlash from Baluch activists. According to one source from Halosh, this representative, close to the reformist faction of the Islamic Republic, traveled to Zahedan 'to encourage and motivate prominent Sunni scholars to participate in the upcoming elections, but faced strong and firm positions from scholars, including Mawlawi Abdulhamid, who advocate for not participating in the elections.' This source reported that Jalalizadeh is currently collaborating with Mohammad Baqer Kurd, the former representative of Zahedan in the parliament, who is now responsible for Masoud Pezeshkian's election campaign in Zahedan, despite not having visited Sistan and Baluchestan even once after the 'bloody Fridays of Zahedan and Khash.' The Islamic Republic is holding 'elections' on July 8 to determine a replacement for Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a plane crash in May of this year, which critics and opponents of the Iranian government have described as a 'mock election' and 'election circus.' Mawlawi Abdulhamid: The Ebrahim Raisi government has oppressed 'Sunnis' and the Iranian nation. Increased pressure from security forces on Sunni religious figures to encourage people to participate in the government's 'elections.' After Mawlawi Abdulhamid's protest against the elections, four other Sunni clerics were arrested in Urmia.