Iran bans top Sunni cleric from Hajj pilgrimage

Molavi Abdolhamid had planned to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage this year but was informed by Iran’s intelligence ministry that he is prohibited from doing so, his website said, offering no further details, according to Al Arabiya.

Iranian authorities have not provided any official response or explanation regarding the matter.

Amini died on September 16, 2022, three days after being arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly breaching the country’s strict dress rules for women.

Abdolhamid holds considerable influence and is highly regarded among Iran’s Sunni minority. However, his recent outspoken criticism of the regime has garnered him even more popularity among Iranians who oppose the Islamic Republic.

Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan, is one of Iran’s poorest regions and is mostly populated by Sunni ethnic Baluchis, a minority in predominantly Shia Iran. Human rights groups say they have faced discrimination and repression for decades.

The province witnessed regular anti-regime protests, often occurring after Friday prayers, for several months.

According to human rights groups, hundreds were killed by security forces during the protests sparked by Amini’s death, with Sistan-Baluchistan having the highest number of fatalities.