Iranian Revolutionary Guards accuse Kurdish separatist groups of killing Sunni cleric Mamosta Mohammad Nezhati in West Azerbaijan province.
Web Desk: A Sunni Kurdish cleric has been killed in northwestern Iran, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards accusing what they described as Kurdish separatist groups of carrying out the attack.
The cleric, identified as Mamosta Mohammad Nezhati, was killed in northwestern Iran, according to a statement from the Revolutionary Guards reported by Iranian media. Reuters independently reported the same details.
Guards blame Kurdish separatist groups
The Revolutionary Guards’ command in West Azerbaijan province accused what it called “Zionist-American Kurdish separatist groups” of carrying out the killing.
The Guards said the attack was intended to create divisions between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims and undermine security in the province.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and no group has been independently confirmed as responsible for the killing.
Cleric reportedly linked to Basij
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency described Nezhati as a member of Basij, a paramilitary organisation linked to the Revolutionary Guards.
Fars, citing the Guards’ statement, said Nezhati had a long history of cooperation with Basij organisations representing professors, seminarians and clerics.
The connection could make the killing particularly sensitive amid ongoing tensions between Iranian authorities and armed or separatist groups operating in areas with significant Kurdish populations.
Tensions in Iran’s Kurdish regions
Iran’s western and northwestern border provinces have experienced periodic clashes and militant activity involving Kurdish groups and Iranian security forces.
The region includes areas with significant ethnic Kurdish populations, while neighbouring Sistan-Baluchistan has also faced attacks involving Sunni militant groups.
Reuters noted that figures associated with the Iranian state and security forces have previously been targeted in these border regions.
Similar killing reported in July
The killing comes after Molavi Mohammad Anvar Rigi, a Sunni Baluch Friday prayer leader in the southeastern border town of Mirjaveh, was killed by unidentified gunmen in July.
The two incidents have occurred in different regions and no connection between them has been established.
