Iranian authorities close Tehran Sunni mosque

Iranian authorities stormed and sealed off a Sunni mosque in Tehran and arrested its imam while threatening to close other Sunni mosques in different parts of the country.

Security forces raided a Sunni mosque in the district of Saadat Abad in northern Tehran during prayer time and arrested Sheikh Maulvi Obaidullah Mousa Zadeh, the imam of the mosque and leader of the Sunni community in the Iranian capital, the official website of the Sunni community in Iran SunniOnline reported Monday.

Members of the Sunni community accused the Iranian authorities of ordering security forces to close the mosque as part of their ongoing discriminatory practices against the Sunni minority since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

According to SunniOnline, Iranian authorities threatened to close down two other Sunni mosques if they do not stop holding prayers and offering religious lessons to members of the community.

“The threats the Iranian regime directs against Sunnis in the country are against Islam,” wrote the website in response to the last clampdown. “Sunnis want nothing except religious freedom.”

The website site added that Iran’s stance is extremist, especially in the light of the way other predominantly Sunni countries treat their Shiite minorities.

“Other Muslim countries do not treat their Shiite minorities like this. Even non-Muslim countries do not treat Muslim minorities like this. How come the Iranian regime calls upon Muslims to unite while it cannot accept the existence of other sects on its soil?”

Other Muslim countries do not treat their Shiite minorities like this. Even non-Muslim countries do not treat Muslim minorities like this

SunniOnline website

Discrimination breads terrorism

Sheikh Maulvi Abdul Hamid, imam of the Sunnis in the city of Zahedan, the capital of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, warned of a revolution similar to that which took place in Egypt and Tunisia if the discrimination against Sunnis continues.

“The authorities have to respect the national and religious rights of the Sunnis and deal with the unrest in Sistan and Baluchestan,” he said in the Friday sermon.

Abdul Hamid argued that all the problems of the province, like bombings and terrorist attacks, are the product of the discrimination towards Sunnis.

“There is no way we can achieve stability and security as long as inequality persists. When people feel deprived, it is very possible that they resort to violence and extremism.”

Abdul Hamid explained that Sunnis have been deprived of building mosques and establishing religious schools in addition to having prayers canelled altogether in several predominantly Shiite areas.

“Officials say ‘You pray today and become terrorists tomorrow.’”

The Sunni cleric compared the way Iran is breeding terrorism with the situation in Europe and Israel where governments are claiming to fight terrorism while they are the ones who bred it.

“The terrorism they are fighting is the result of their support for Israel.”



(Translated from the Arabic by Sonia Farid)

When people feel deprived, it is very possible that they resort to violence and extremism

Sunni imam Sheikh Maulvi Abdul Hamid