Severe Attack by Friday Imams and Military Officials on Dervishes

Continuing the severe attacks from close associates of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and Friday Imams, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday Imam of Mashhad, referred to dervishes as "spies of the enemy" and deemed the clashes between this group and the police as "planned by the U.S. and the U.K." No evidence has been provided for these accusations. Iranian officials have repeatedly blamed foreign countries for the protests in the country. Previously, government, security, and military officials of the Islamic Republic, without providing evidence, accused the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia of being involved in widespread protests in January in Iran. According to Fars News Agency, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani, the Friday Imam of Tehran, in his sermon on February 23, called on the judiciary to deal decisively and severely with those he referred to as "criminals who committed murder and attacked people's property." According to Tasnim News Agency, Mr. Alamolhoda called the dervish ceremony "deviation" and added: "The issue of dervishism and dervish play is not an idea and has no mysticism in it... It is a shop created by the enemy." Friday Imams from Isfahan, Qom, Shiraz, and several other cities have also made statements against the Gonabadi dervishes. These statements come at a time when the "Nematollahi Sultan Ali Shah Gonabadi Order," whose followers are commonly known as Gonabadi dervishes, is one of the Sufi orders that believes in the principles and branches of Twelver Shia Islam. Noor Ali Tabandeh, the leader of the Gonabadi dervishes, has called on his followers to remain calm, but the severe attacks from close associates of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic against the dervishes continue. Meanwhile, Hossein Baqeri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, issued a message on Thursday referring to the killing of three police officers and two Basij forces in the clashes on Pasdaran Street as "the brutal crime of the germs of corruption and the remnants of ISIS-like dervishes." He stated: "The powerful defenders of national security will not allow repetitions of displays like what occurred on Pasdaran Street and will decisively respond to any threats against citizens' security." Mr. Baqeri also referred to the dervishes who clashed with police forces on Pasdaran Street as "a vile and mercenary group." "The source of many unfortunate events in street protests is the presence of Basij forces." On Tuesday night and early Wednesday, a major clash occurred between security forces and Gonabadi dervishes on Pasdaran Street in Tehran, during which, according to Iranian officials, three police officers and two Basij members were killed. Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports about the deaths of several dervishes have been published. Hassan Rahimi, the head of Tehran police, stated on Wednesday evening, February 21, in a television program that "we could have" attacked the targeted house "with an RPG but acted with authority and wisdom." Police officials have reported the arrest of over 300 dervishes, and the Majzoban Noor website has stated that there is no information available about the status of hundreds of detained dervishes. At the same time, photos and videos of severe beatings of several dervishes during their arrest have been published. Farhad Noori, a rights activist for dervishes in Iran, has announced that at least 500 Gonabadi dervishes have been arrested, and the Majzoban Noor website has also published the names of over 300 arrested dervishes. Meanwhile, the Society of Teachers of Qom Seminary issued a statement referring to these clashes and called for a "decisive" response to those they labeled as "criminals and rioters." This group emphasized: "We also warn all the seditionist and riotous currents that have directly or indirectly participated in this crime that these revolutionary people condemn and will condemn any disturbances and bullying and will not allow a few deviant and dependent elements to jeopardize the peace and security of the country." The statements from close associates of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic come as a protest gathering of Gonabadi dervishes around the house of Noor Ali Tabandeh, the leader of this order, turned violent due to the intervention of security forces and plainclothes motorcyclists. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Center, chaired by Shirin Ebadi, in its report on human rights violations in Iran in January, indicated that "the source of many unfortunate events in street protests is the presence and intervention of Basij forces at the scene of the incident." The Gonabadi dervishes' gathering initially began in front of Police Station 102 on Pasdaran Street in northern Tehran in protest against the arrest of one of the dervishes named Nematollah Riahi. About two weeks ago, Gonabadi dervishes had also gathered after reports emerged about the establishment of a checkpoint near Noor Ali Tabandeh's house, which also turned violent due to the intervention of security forces. The actions of the Islamic Republic against this group intensified in 2005. In that year, widespread destruction of the Gonabadi dervishes' houses began in various cities in Iran, and many dervishes were subsequently arrested. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Center in 2014 wrote in an open letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that Gonabadi dervishes have faced "continuous harassment such as imprisonment, deprivation of social rights, threats..." for over 15 years.