Minorities Become ‘Our People’ Only for Presidential Elections

Minorities find themselves labeled as “our people” only for a few days during presidential elections.

The fourteenth presidential election cycle in Iran, to select the ninth president of Iran, will be held on Friday, June 28, 2024 (8th of Tir month, 1403). In this election, “Mostafa Pour Mohammadi,” “Saeed Jalili,” “Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,” and “Masoud Pezeshkian” are competing as presidential candidates.

“Ali Khamenei” places great emphasis on maximum participation in the presidential elections, which are held with handpicked candidates of the government’s Guardian Council.

Masoud Pezeshkian, former health minister and five-term parliament representative, has placed the most emphasis among other candidates on religious and sectarian minorities, particularly Sunnis. His statements, like those of other candidates regarding the situation of minorities, women, or economic and political conditions, have been expressed as if he were an opponent and opposition to the government.

Masoud Pezeshkian stated in his remarks about ethnicities, religions, and sects: “They do not know that Iran, without Kurdish culture and identity, loses the most important element of its composition and suffers an irreparable deficiency, just as zealous and freedom-loving Azerbaijanis who revived constitutionalism, brave and sincere Baluch and Sistani people, faithful and hardworking Armenian compatriots and Assyrians, virtuous and righteous Zoroastrians and noble-spirited Mandaeans, precious Kahlians and wise and zealous Arabs, Bakhtiari and Lur enemies of oppression and aesthetically-minded Turkomans who love their homeland, Persians who are guardians and heirs to ancient thoughts, and Iran-loving Qashqai people and dozens of Iranian tribes whose efforts and prowess are responsible for raising Iran’s flag and national cohesion.”

Masoud Pezeshkian’s statements and his use of the word “they” does not clarify who “they” are—are they those who have the power to pass discriminatory laws and have deprived millions of Iranians of human and civil rights? Or can they even imprison Bahais, Dervishes, Christians, Sunnis, followers of Yarsan religion, and Christian citizens merely because of their religious beliefs and peaceful religious activities?

Pezeshkian has also repeatedly stated in his speeches that he is indebted to the leader and added that Khamenei determines general policies. Ali Khamenei, who holds Iran’s leadership, has suppressed religious and sectarian minorities for decades and has stated that house churches are among the tools used by enemies of the Islamic Republic to weaken religion in society.

“Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,” the parliament speaker, also stated to attract the votes of minorities, particularly Sunnis: “In the elections, we must choose someone who, with the help of the people, intellectuals, all groups, all ethnicities, all religions and religious minorities, can bring glory to dear Iran and strengthen strengths and address weaknesses.” However, it appears that his use of the term “religious minorities” is more decorative in nature, since he immediately added: “Throughout history, enemies have always sought to disrupt Iran, which is because of the unity and integrity in the diversity of Islamic Iran’s ethnicities.”

“Musa Ghazanfarabadi,” a parliament representative and former head of revolutionary courts in Tehran province, also stated in his remarks: “Religious minorities who do not wear headscarves should not have them in their homes.” In other words, minorities have rights only within the framework of the government, and becoming “our people” for them is only limited to these few days of elections.

Ghazanfarabadi’s statements came at a time when the situation in the country for religious and sectarian minorities is extremely dire, as Christian citizens have repeatedly been attacked in their homes by government forces while gathered for prayer and Bible reading, arrested on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “action against national security,” and even sentenced to flogging for not wearing headscarves in their homes.