Iran appoints first Baluch governor in Sistan-Baluchistan
Iran has appointed Mansour Bijar as the first governor from the Baluch minority in the historically turbulent southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani announced a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
At 50 years old, Bijar represents the Baluch community, which is primarily Sunni Muslim in a nation where Shia Islam is the dominant faith. His appointment comes on the heels of a violent attack in Sistan-Baluchistan that resulted in the deaths of at least ten police officers, an incident later claimed by the militant group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice).
Sistan-Baluchistan is situated along the borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan and is recognized as one of Iran’s most impoverished regions. The province has a long-standing history of cross-border attacks from separatists and Sunni extremists, leading to frequent clashes between security forces and armed groups.
Jaish al-Adl, formed by Baluch separatists in 2012, is designated as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States. The group has been implicated in various violent incidents in the region.
This appointment follows a recent trend in Iranian politics aimed at increasing representation for minority groups. In September, the government appointed the first Sunni governor for Kurdistan province since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Additionally, President Masoud Pezeshkian had named Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, a politician from the Sunni minority, as his vice president for rural development, although lawmakers later blocked this appointment due to concerns regarding his qualifications.
On the same day Bijar was appointed, parliament voted to accept the resignation of Hosseinzadeh after lawmakers opted to retain him in the legislature instead.
Furthermore, just last week, the government named Mohammad Reza Mavalizadeh as the first Arab governor of Khuzestan province, which is home to a significant Arab minority. Currently, Sunnis make up about 10 percent of Iran’s population, while Shia Islam remains the state religion.
