Sunni Elites to Announce Positions on Elections After Negotiating with Candidates

Iran's Sunni political and religious elites have agreed to form a "strategic council" to decide on their support for presidential candidates after discussing "fundamental demands and issues of the Sunni community". According to Sunni Online, a website covering Sunni news and issues in Iran, this "strategic meeting" was held on Sunday, May 7, at the invitation of Molavi Abdolhamid, a prominent Sunni cleric in Zahedan, attended by scholars, academics, and Sunni political-social elites, including current and former representatives from various provinces. The attendees agreed to establish a "strategic" council to represent Sunni figures and negotiate with the "main candidates from the two factions present in the elections" to present the demands of the Sunni community. This council is set to draft "fundamental demands and significant issues facing the Sunni community," some of which are noted to be shared concerns with other Iranian citizens, and use these as the basis for their negotiations with presidential candidates. Although the report does not detail the topics discussed or the specific demands of the Sunnis, recent statements from Molavi Abdolhamid, the well-known Sunni cleric and Friday prayer leader in Zahedan, have highlighted "participation in the management of the country" and "ensuring religious freedoms" as the main demands of the Sunni community from the future president of Iran. Abdolhamid stated, "The request of the Sunni community is that capable Sunnis be appointed in various positions, including ministries, vice presidents, deputy ministers, embassies, and provincial management. There should be no difference between the deserving individuals of different ethnicities and religions; this is the right of the Iranian people and according to the constitution of the country." He added, "Our request is that a person be elected who will be beneficial and effective for the Iranian people, especially the Sunni community, which faces more challenges." Recently, reports have emerged of meetings between some senior Sunni clerics in Iran and Ebrahim Raisi, the conservative presidential candidate, where attendees criticized the "arbitrary treatment of Sunnis." Conservative news agencies reflected some attendees' statements in support of Raisi. Raisi has also met with Sunni clerics during his trips to Kurdistan and Hormozgan provinces. Conversely, some news sites reported on Abdolhamid's support for Hassan Rouhani, which was denied by his office. On Sunday, Abdolhamid's office announced that he has not supported any candidates yet and that decisions will be made after consultations with all candidates. Sunnis are one of Iran's religious minorities, estimated to make up between 5 to 10 percent of the country's population. Over the past few decades, many of their social rights, including holding managerial positions, have been denied, and they are even deprived of having mosques and religious centers in the capital. Although during Rouhani's administration, for the first time, a Sunni ambassador was appointed. Some sources close to the Sunni community estimate that up to six million of them are eligible to vote, although due to a lack of transparency in official statistics, it is difficult to accurately estimate the Sunni population and those eligible to vote among them.