Sunni Representatives Protest Against 'Insult to Sunni Elders' in 'Dour Hami' Program

Twenty Sunni representatives in the Iranian parliament have called for 'serious action' against the producers of the program 'Dour Hami', hosted by Mehran Modiri, due to 'insults to the elders of Sunni Islam'. Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of the parliament, has also requested that the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) apologize for this incident. According to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Qasim Osmani, a representative from Boukan, stated during a public session on Sunday, August 15, that the 'artistic host' of a 'popular program' on the third channel of Iranian television insulted respected Sunni figures. This Sunni representative and member of the parliamentary board urged IRIB to 'apologize as soon as possible' to strengthen the 'content and meaning of unity between the Shia and Sunni communities in the country as always'. Ali Motahari, who chaired the public session on Sunday, also condemned the insult to respected Sunni figures as 'a disgraceful act' and stated that IRIB 'must apologize'. On the same day, 20 Sunni representatives issued a warning to the Minister of Culture, demanding 'serious action against the producers and host of the Dour Hami program' for 'insulting the elders of Sunni Islam'. In the program aired two nights ago, which focused on 'hypocrisy and pretense', Mehran Modiri explained the responses of a 'hypocritical' individual in a job interview, who, when asked about the names of two brothers who invented the airplane, said, 'God curse them', subsequently naming Talha and Zubair. Talha and Zubair are two of the closest companions of the Prophet Muhammad and are respected figures in Sunni Islam. However, in Shia narratives and official platforms of the Islamic Republic, they are referred to as individuals who fought against the first Shia Imam due to not being granted 'positions' and 'public funds' by him, and were killed alongside Aisha, the Prophet's wife, in the 'Battle of the Camel'. Close associates of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, have also frequently compared their opponents and critics to Talha and Zubair on official platforms. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader has previously stated his opposition to 'insults to the sanctities of Sunni Islam'. Despite this, figures like Mohammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi, who has been praised by the Supreme Leader multiple times, referred to Sunni Muslims as adherents of a 'false religion' in late 2013, stating, 'Shia books should be promoted among Sunnis so that those with less prejudice can quickly find the true religion'. Shortly thereafter, in April 2014, Hamid Reza Pashang, the secretary of the Sunni representatives in the ninth parliament, demanded that insults to the sanctities and scholars of Sunni Islam be considered 'red lines of the regime'. Sunni clerics have deemed many IRIB programs and statements made on official platforms as 'insults to their sanctities' and 'elders'. In this context, Mawlana Abdul Hamid has called for avoiding insults to religious beliefs on television, and clerics have requested condemnation of hostile Shia and Sunni channels. The Ministry of Intelligence has reported that offices of 17 Shia satellite channels have been closed, and some Shia satellite channels have been shut down in four provinces of Iran.