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Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi, the spiritual leader of Iran's Sunnis, said in a Friday, December 2, 2022 sermon in Zahedan, the capital of the Sunni-majority Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, that the Iranian regime should be held accountable for killing Sunni anti-regime protestors. He urged the regime to "sit down" with the protesters and reach "middle ground," adding: "Where criticism is prevented, tyranny is created." He said that prisoners and detainees should be treated in an "Islamic way" and not like people who fight Allah or sow corruption. He also said that truth must be followed even if it is uttered by enemies such as the Americans or Israelis. He elaborated that the Sunnis and other religious minorities have been discriminated against since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, even though they are all Iranians. The sermon was posted to Molavi Abdolhamid's YouTube account. For more about Molavi Abdolhamid, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 7879 and MEMRI Daily Brief No. 428.
Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi: "It is important for a person to treat his enemies and opponents properly."
Chant leader: "Say: 'Allah Akbar!'"
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
Ismaeelzahi: "Therefore, an Islamic behavior is required. We are Muslims, are we not? Behave in an Islamic way towards your prisoners and detainees. Do not treat them as people who fight Allah. People who protest are different from people who fight Allah and sow corruption.
[...]
"Sit down with people who oppose you and express criticism. Criticism must never be blocked. Where criticism is prevented, tyranny is created."
Chant leader: "Say: 'Allah Akbar!'"
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
Ismaeelzahi: "Truth is the real thing. The truth must be followed. The truth must be followed even if it is uttered by the enemy, even if it is uttered by the Americans, even if it is uttered by our enemies, the Israelis.
[...]
"We recommend to exercise compassion and listen to what the public has to say. We are not enemies of this country. God knows that in many cases we shielded this country with our bare chests. In the latest wars that took place... In Syria... You went to Syria and Iraq and fought there. All your enemies agreed to usher insecurity in via Baluchistan. I am not saying that you did not play a role, but the [Sunni] public, scholars, and dignitaries... The people of this region are the ones who turned their bare chests into shields."
Chant leader: "Say: 'Allah Akbar!'"
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
[...]
Ismaeelzahi: "For 44 years, we have suffered from discrimination, inequality, and pressure. The entire Iranian people have suffered from discrimination.
[...]
"But now, the people are making demands. We are making demands. We, who are here, are also tired of the discrimination and the pressure."
Crowd: "Allah Akbar!"
Ismaeelzahi: "We are tired of poverty. Do not lock us up. Do not beat up the public. These people are hungry. Sit down with them and reach the middle ground.
[...]
"We have died. We have died here. Here we were killed with machine guns, for no reason. We were slaughtered, we were killed, we were injured, but merely three hours later, we issued a statement, saying that the security of this region and this province must be protected. We were killed but we did not kill anyone, and we will not allow anyone to kill someone else.
[...]
"We have asked nothing from you. Our only demand is that those who killed people be punished.
[...]
"We want our country to be safe. We want our country to be united. We said that there are no Shiites and Sunnis. There are no ethnic groups. We are all Iranians. We are all the same, from the Zoroastrians to the dervishes... All the religions, practices, and tendencies... Even the Bahá'ís. They, too, are human beings and belong to Iran. They have rights. Their rights must be protected. The rights of all of the Iranians who live here and belong to Iran must be protected. Others who are in this country also have rights."
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