Protesters enter a checkpoint in Zahedan; Mawlawi Abdul Hamid calls on people to remain calm

Simultaneously with reports of strikes and closures of guilds in several cities in Sistan and Baluchestan province in protest of the "killing of fuel consumers," images of protesters entering a checkpoint in the city of Zahedan were published on Wednesday.

On the same day, Mawlavi Abdul Hamid, the Sunni Friday prayer imam of Zahedan, called on the general public in the region to calm down, control their emotions, and exercise restraint in an audio file.

Images posted on social media show a number of protesters entering the "Korin Police Station" and damaging the building and a car in the area.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that clashes continued in the Korean sector on Wednesday evening.

On the other hand, the governor of Zahedan city has also said that a police officer was killed in an "attack by armed thugs with light weapons and grenade launchers on the Zahedan Korean checkpoint."

According to IRNA, Abuzar Mehdi Nakhaei, referring to reports about the killing of fuel workers at the Shamsar checkpoint in Saravan, said that following this incident, "evil elements" attacked the checkpoint with "light weapons and grenade launchers with the intention of capturing the Korin and Qale-e-Bid checkpoints."

The governor of Zahedan, however, has emphasized that "peace is maintained throughout Zahedan city and its subordinate districts."

In this context, video images of protests in the cities of Khash, Iranshahr, and Saravan have been published on social media.

Social media reports also indicate that security measures have been tightened in the city of Zahedan and that shops and markets in the city were closed on Wednesday.

Mawlawi Abdul Hamid called on people to remain calm and self-restraint.

Meanwhile, Mawlavi Abdul Hamid, the Sunni Friday prayer imam of Zahedan, has called on the general public in Sistan and Baluchestan province to remain calm and restrained in an audio file.

He also called on young people to control their emotions and refrain from attacking public institutions.

Mawlawi Abdul Hamid further called on the authorities to impartially investigate Monday's incident, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of a number of people.

The Sunni Friday Imam of Zahedan also called on the authorities (of the Islamic Republic) to pay attention to the livelihood and employment situation in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

Reports indicate that on Monday, March 24, at least two civilians were killed and two others were injured when IRGC forces opened fire on a group of fuel tankers in the border areas of Saravan city.

This is while some other news sources have announced the number of people killed in the incident as "10".

According to videos posted on social media, especially Twitter, yesterday, a number of families of injured fuel consumers entered the Saravan governor's office after gathering in front of it.

The "Razzaq" plan and fuel sales in border areas

Based on a government plan in 2011, which was implemented in 2013, border residents within a 20-kilometer radius of the border in four provinces of the country were allowed to sell fuel across the border.

The plan approved by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government in 2011 stated: "The Ministry of Petroleum is obligated to establish fuel supply stations at borders and official markets to sell petroleum products to residents of border villages within a 20-kilometer radius of the border at a balanced price."

According to the government's initial plan, a quota was to be set for border households, according to which 500 liters of fuel would be allocated to border households with up to five members, and 1,000 liters for households with five or more members.

However, the IRGC's Quds Force Headquarters, which is responsible for ensuring the security of Sistan and Baluchestan and also plays a key role in the economic activities of this province, submitted a plan called the "Razzaq Plan" to the Ministry of Interior in 2018 to organize fuel sales in border areas, which received the Ministry of Interior's approval.

Mohammad Marani, former commander of the Quds base of the IRGC's southeastern ground forces, had previously said in an interview with IRNA that the goal of the "Razzaq Plan" was to create employment in border areas, adding that those who have been "identified and confirmed by the IRGC as poor" will be allowed to "take and sell fuel across the border without legal prohibition."

Mehran Mahmoudi, acting governor of Golshan, said in late February of this year that the Revolutionary Guards would begin monitoring border crossing cards from the beginning of March, and if a card was issued in error, it would be deleted.

The implementation of the "Razzaq" plan is the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior, the supply of fuel is the responsibility of the oil company, and the IRGC is its executor.

In this context, the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan said in January of this year, "With the discussions and dialogues held by the IRGC's Quds Force Headquarters, Pakistani officials also accepted this plan."

This is while critics say that the goal of Razaq's plan is for the Revolutionary Guards to "take control of the monopoly on fuel sales."

They say that this plan not only does not help reduce the deprivation of the poor border residents, but also fuels "discrimination" in this deprived province.

Social experts in Iran say that widespread unemployment, poverty, and deprivation in Sistan and Baluchestan province have made fuel transportation a major source of income for border residents and citizens in the province.

Source: Radio Farda