Prominent cleric Naghshbandi arrested in Sistan, southeastern Iran

Renowned Iranian Sunni cleric Mawlawi Fat’hi Mohammad Naghshbandi has been arrested for ‘inciting tensions and endangering national security’ in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

The Public Relations Office of the Justice Department in Sistan and Baluchestan, said in a statement on Sunday, “Unfortunately, Mawlawi Fat’hi Mohammad Naghshbandi, has in recent months taken harsh positions in line with the opponents of the Islamic system, and in his Friday prayer sermons and meetings, he has delivered false speeches far from reality.”

Naghshbandi, who is the Friday prayers leader of Rask, had called on people to take to the streets for riots, so he was taken to the provincial capital Zahedan on Sunday for a briefing, the statement added.

The statement further noted that Naghshbandi was briefed on his numerous cases of violating Iran’s laws and was asked to change course, but he insisted that he would stand his ground, so he was referred to judicial authorities.

Sistan and Baluchestan has been a hotbed of riots and unrest ever since the death of young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in a police station in September last year and has witnessed bloody clashes between security forces and armed dissidents.

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