Renowned Iranian Sunni cleric attends introduction ceremony of new governor

A picture of Molavi Abdolhamid was published in the media on Saturday, showing the senior cleric with strong backing attending the ceremony to introduce Mansour Bijar held in the presence of the minister of interior.

Speaking at the ceremony, Molavi Abdolhamid said, “The president made a promise for the benefit of the country and the people of Iran, and we are trying to make good on our promise in order to help fulfill these pledges.”

He also thanked the administration of national unity for trusting ethnic groups of Iran when it comes to appointments of officials to government posts.

Molavi Abdolhamid previously expressed his support for the new governor, stating, “We are pleased that the government has chosen someone from within the province as the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan.”

“He is a capable, knowledgeable, and skilled individual who has held the position of deputy governor for urban development for several terms,” he noted.

Bijar is the first Baluch and Sunni governor of Sistan and Baluchestan since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The appointment of a local Sunni Baluch as the government’s representative in a province frequently targeted by terrorists affiliated with extremist groups is seen as a fulfillment of election promises by President Massoud Pezeshkian.

It follows the appointment of a Kurdish Sunni deputy minister and a local individual as the governor of Kordestan, demonstrating a gradual implementation of his commitment.

The appointment also comes over two years after a deadly incident following the Friday prayers at the Makki Mosque in Zahedan, a religious base of the influential Molavi Abdolhamid. During the incident, dozens of anti-government protesters who stormed a police station were killed.