Iranian Friday Prayer Leaders Attack Pakistan and Criticize Saudi Crown Prince's Visit

Several Friday prayer leaders in Iran, referencing the recent attack on a Revolutionary Guard bus near Zahedan, expressed skepticism about the recent visit of the Saudi Crown Prince to Pakistan while criticizing Pakistan's policies. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, also stated that he would attack the perpetrators of the recent attack "wherever they are found." According to ISNA, Mohammad Hassan Abutalebi-Fard, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, on Friday, March 3, stated that "it is unacceptable for the territory of a neighboring country to become a base for training terrorist forces" and said, "They will pay the cost of this behavior." Abutalebi-Fard accused the Pakistani government of experiencing such abnormal conditions with its neighbors to the north, south, and west and urged it to "quickly correct its past behavior." The topics mentioned in the Friday prayer sermons in Iranian cities are determined by an organization called the "Council for the Policy-Making of Friday Prayer Leaders," and all Friday prayer leaders this week criticized the Pakistani government. Gholamreza Dehghan, the Friday prayer leader of Khash in Sistan and Baluchestan province, called Pakistan a refuge for "terrorists and sabotage groups after creating mischief and insecurity in Iran," while Rasoul Falahati, the Friday prayer leader of Rasht, urged Hassan Rouhani's government to "stand firmly against the Pakistani government." Kazem Fattah, the Friday prayer leader of Damavand, also referred to the recent visit of the Saudi Crown Prince to Pakistan, calling it "a new anti-Iranian project by Al Saud" and stated, "Pakistan's economic problems have opened the arms of this country to Saudi Arabia." This Friday prayer leader also criticized what he called "Iran's wasted opportunities," without citing evidence or documentation, saying, "The Saudis used to say Imran Khan is a representative of Qom; now how has he suddenly become a representative of Riyadh?" Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, arrived in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, last Monday as the first step of his trip to several Asian countries. During this visit, officials from both countries signed contracts worth approximately $20 billion, especially in the energy sector. Ibrahim Hosseini, the Friday prayer leader of Abarkooh, described the Saudi Crown Prince's visit to Pakistan as "a plan to spread viruses between Iran and its eastern neighbors" and, without providing evidence, claimed that the aim of this visit was to "strengthen the foundation and base of terrorists in Pakistan." Previously, Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, stated that Iran's accusations against his country were an attempt by Islamic Republic officials to "divert the attention of the Iranian people." However, all criticisms in this week's Friday prayers were expressed one day after the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' external forces warned Pakistan in this regard. Qassem Soleimani claimed that "Saudi money has infiltrated inside Pakistan" and said that the Pakistani government should not allow the country to become "a center for harassing neighbors, and whoever has drawn this plan aims to divide and destroy Pakistan." Soleimani also threatened on Thursday in the city of Babolsar that he would attack the perpetrators of the recent attack "wherever they are found, not just within Iran's borders." About ten days ago, a bus carrying Revolutionary Guard personnel was targeted in Sistan and Baluchestan province in a suicide attack that left at least 27 dead and 13 injured. The group known as "Jaish al-Adl" claimed responsibility for this attack. Islamic Republic officials have attributed this attack to "terrorists sheltered in Pakistan," and the Pakistani ambassador in Tehran has also been summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Nevertheless, the Pakistani government expressed regret over the occurrence of this attack, and several Pakistani officials have rejected the claim that "Jaish al-Adl" operates freely from this country against Iranian border areas.