The Baluch inhabitants of Zahedan courageously staged protest rallies, chanting slogans that rebuked the Iranian regime and its leader, Ali Khamenei, despite severe preventative measures put in place by the authorities.
In a preemptive move, the regime had stationed a sizable unit of security personnel, including anti-riot squads, blocking avenues leading to the Makki mosque. This mosque is a notable gathering spot where residents convene for Friday prayers each week.
As worshippers arrived for their weekly rituals, they faced brutal aggression. Security forces resorted to beating attendees, deploying pepper spray and tear gas, and hurling objects at them. Reports indicate that many, including children, sustained injuries during these attacks.
October 20—Zahedan, southeast #Iran
More footage regime security forces deployed to crack down on locals trying to attend Friday prayers at the Makki mosque.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/BYwZlVX7D9— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 20, 2023
Further intensifying their clampdown, security forces barricaded Khayam, Madani, Tohid, Modarres, and Khorramshahr streets. In an alarming move, they also trapped individuals inside the Makki mosque, subjecting them to beatings and detentions. In a peculiar strategy, they marked individuals with paint, presumably to facilitate identification and subsequent arrests.
However, the resilience of Zahedan’s inhabitants was undeterred. Protesters countered the security onslaught with spirited chants, including declarations such as “We swear on the blood of our friends that we will stand till the end,” and “Political prisoners must be released.”
October 20—Zahedan, southeast #Iran
Regime security forces attack Friday prayer attendees, injuring several people and arresting others.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/EXKjTzMfuF— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 20, 2023
The protests also echoed larger aspirations for a nation free from all forms of oppression, captured succinctly in the slogan, “Death to the oppressor, be it the shah or the mullahs.”
Despite aggressive dispersal attempts by the security forces, the protesters held firm, drawing comparisons between them and extremist groups with chants like, “Basij and IRGC are like ISIS to us.”
The events in Zahedan caught the attention of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). She expressed solidarity with the protesters, remarking, “The criminal mullahs, who shed crocodile tears for the Palestinian children, open fire and tear gas on Iranian youths and children in Zahedan.”
I salute the brave people of #Zahedan and Baluch youths who staged their protest demonstration despite heavy security measures, calling for the release of political prisoners, and remaining loyal to the martyrs. They confronted the security forces’ brutal attacks.
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) October 20, 2023
Since the tumultuous 2022 uprising, which erupted in September, Baluchestan has emerged as a major hotspot for anti-regime protests. Notably, on September 30, 2022, a brutal crackdown by security forces in Zahedan led to the death of over 100 peaceful protesters, including children. This tragic event is now remembered as Zahedan’s “Bloody Friday.”
However, such incidents have only steeled the resolve of Zahedan’s residents. Subsequent Fridays have consistently seen protest rallies, underscoring their undying commitment to ushering in a democratic republic, free from the yoke of the present regime.
October 20—Zahedan, southeast #Iran
More footage of today's anti-regime protest rally after security forces tried to prevent access to the Makki mosque.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/kLUGFmKsgg— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 20, 2023
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