Iran: Sunni Imams Demand End of Discriminations

Sunni imams and Friday Khateebs of different provinces in Iran have demanded Iranian authorities to focus on resolving the problems of the Sunni community in the 39th anniversary of the revolution.
In Zahedan, the center of Iranian Balochistan, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said: “Our domestic and foreign policies should be revised. They are effective policies and we can overcome the ongoing economic crisis and the rest of problems by reforming and revising the policies and strategies.”
“Corruption and discrimination are threats for the existence of the state and revolution. Corrupt officers should be replaced with honest ones. Discrimination regarding ethnic and religious sects also should be eliminated completely,” the most influential Iranian Sunni leader said.

Mawlana Mohammad Usman Khashi, the Sunni Khateeb in Khash city urged on removal of discriminations against the Sunni community and providing them religious freedom.
He said: “If the followers of Shia sect are free, the same freedom should be for Sunnis, too. If Shias can build mosques freely, the Sunni citizens also should not face obstacles anywhere.”

None of authorities can interfere in religious affairs
From the north of Iran, Azadshahr city of Golestan province Mawlana Mohammad Hussein Gorgij criticized the closure of some prayer-houses of the Sunni community in Mashhad and said: “It is regrettable to witness closure of prayer-houses and Qur’anic schools in Iran after almost 4 decades from the birth of Islamic revolution.”
The president of Darululoom Farouqia urged on independence of Islamic seminaries and said: “Shia and Sunni Ulama agree upon it that mosques, prayer-houses and Qur’anic schools should be run by Ulama. Governments have no right to interfere in religious affairs even Islamic states. During history mosques and Islamic schools were independent.”

In Khorasan province, Shaikh Habib-ur-Rahman Motahhari termed ‘justice’, ‘removal of discriminations’ and ‘engagement of Sunnis in managing the country’ the most important ways to confront the conspiracies of the enemies.
The rector president of Ahnaf seminary of Khaaf city said: “The maintenance of the revolution is unity, fraternity, justice, removal of discriminations and participation of different sects in the management of the country and taking care of due rights of all.”

In the west of Iran, the famous Kurdish Sunni scholar, Mullah Qader Qaderi talked to Sunni worshipers in Paveh city and urged on reviewing of policies and removal of weak points.
“The one who becomes 40 years old and he does not review his mindset, his reformation is difficult. Our revolution has been near to 40 years; so the top authorities should remove the weak policies and review their strategies,” he added more.

Shaikh Sayyid Abdol-Baa’ith Qattali, Sunni Khateeb in Bandar Abbas city (southern Iran) said in his Friday sermon: “Iranian Sunnis have no undue demands, but still some officials deny to ensure Sunnis’ rights because of their narrow minds.”