Friday Prayer Leaders in South Khorasan Refuse to Lead Prayers in Protest Against Governor

A sit-in by a group of clerics protesting the non-dismissal of the South Khorasan governor entered its third day, during which Friday prayer leaders refrained from leading prayers. On Friday, March 10, Fars News Agency reported that Friday prayer leaders in various cities of South Khorasan did not hold this week's Friday prayers in protest against the failure to dismiss Ali Akbar Parvizi, the governor of South Khorasan. According to the agency, 'temporary imams' led the Friday prayers instead of the main imams in different cities of the province. Fars News also reported that if the governor is not dismissed by next week, Friday prayers in the province will be canceled. The 'sit-in of scholars, students, and Friday prayer leaders' has entered its third day with the aim of removing the governor. The protesters announced that they resorted to the sit-in following a three-week 'silence' from the Ministry of Interior regarding the 'deviant' remarks made by the governor. In the late hours of Thursday night, Mohammad Hossein Maqimi, the Deputy Minister of Interior, attended the protesters and listened to the spokesperson's remarks. On February 19, a group of 'Hezbollah forces' gathered at the office of the representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in South Khorasan, chanting slogans against the governor and calling for his removal. According to a report on February 17 from the local website 'Khorasan', Ali Akbar Parvizi made comments in a gathering of artists that angered conservatives and Hezbollah forces in the province. Khorasan reported that Mr. Parvizi stated, 'We should cry for the state of art in the province, as the atmosphere is not good,' and 'some gentlemen oppose everything in the name of religion.' The website also quoted the governor as saying that these gentlemen 'exploit issues that have no relation to religion.' He added, 'A tyrannical mindset has infiltrated a part of society, and there are only a few individuals who are the main obstacles to much development.' According to Khorasan's report, the governor criticized the performance of the police's places of business, questioning, 'Who are these places, and what is their role, and what kind of thinking is it that has turned the city into a military base for the people?' The website wrote that Mr. Parvizi stated, 'The police force is responsible for maintaining order and regulating traffic; they should not interfere in anything else.' The governor also mentioned that at some weddings in the province, 'men dance; women dance, and there are places that do not significantly harm Islam and Muslims.' The website noted that the governor also stated, 'If traditional and local music were supported, we would not have underground music now.' After the publication of these remarks and the start of protests, the South Khorasan governor's website denied and refuted quotes attributed to the governor regarding 'mixed dancing between men and women' circulating in some social media. However, the governor's announcement and explanations did not prevent the continuation of protests and criticisms, and some Friday prayer leaders in the province continued their criticisms and attacks against him during Friday prayers. In this context, Hassan Armaghan, the temporary Friday prayer leader of the city of 'Esfidan,' stated in his Friday sermon that 'the sit-in and gathering will continue until the governor is dismissed.' The temporary Friday prayer leader of Birjand also mentioned in his sermon that 'the governor has intertwined correct and incorrect statements, and scholars have shown sensitivity, and we expected him to apologize.' Mehdi Gholami, the temporary Friday prayer leader of Ferdows, stated in his sermon that 'the main reason for this sit-in is the governor's disregard for the advice of elders and scholars; the governor is trying to change the mindset of the people of the province.' Gholami added that 'this governor, with his tyrannical thoughts, does not belong in a revolutionary province; he should go to a place where he can be free with his thoughts. We will continue to stand and resist.'