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Anger in Tehran after Abduction of Son of Prominent Shirazi Cleric

Protesters rallied outside the Iranian embassy in London against the arrest of the son of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. (Getty Images)
Protesters rallied outside the Iranian embassy in London against the arrest of the son of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. (Getty Images)
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Anger in Tehran after Abduction of Son of Prominent Shirazi Cleric

Protesters rallied outside the Iranian embassy in London against the arrest of the son of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. (Getty Images)
Protesters rallied outside the Iranian embassy in London against the arrest of the son of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. (Getty Images)

Protests against Iranian authorities erupted in Kuwait, Iraq and London after Iranian intelligence attacked the convoy of prominent Shi’ite cleric Sadegh Hossein Shirazi and later arrested his son, Hossein, on Wednesday.

Clan leaders in Iraq, including the Bodrag clan, pleaded with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to release Hossein, accusing him with being behind his abduction.

Shirazi enjoys Shi’ite followers in the Gulf and Iraq’s Karbala, the place of origin of the Shirazi family. The Shirazis are one of the Shi’ite authorities that enjoy clout among Arab Shi’ites and they act in relative independence from Iranian powers and they have repeatedly been oppressed by Iranian authorities.

Iranian intelligence had in February summoned Hossein Shirazi after he gave a lecture to dozens of students about the Vilayet al-Faqih principle, which he linked to imposing a dictatorship under the pretext of religion.

He also compared Khamenei to ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, prompting authorities to order his arrest.

After a lengthy investigation, Hossein Shirazi was released, but arrested again on Wednesday.

Shirazi’s office said that an intelligence patrol had intercepted the cleric’s convoy, which was also escorting his son Hossein, as he was returning from his studies. The authorities arrested Hossein after humiliating and threatening to taser him.

The demeaning arrest angered Shirazi’s followers, prompting the protests.

A witness in London, said that one of the demonstrators tried to storm the Iranian embassy to condemn the arrest.

The Iranian foreign ministry acknowledged the protests in front of its embassy in London, refuting however claims that the building had been occupied.

A spokesman said that so-called assailants had only managed to climb the embassy’s balcony, calling on British police to perform their duties to protect Iranian diplomatic missions and arrest the attackers.

An aide at the foreign ministry filed a complaint to the British ambassador over the unrest.

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Türkiye Says It Is Closely Monitoring PKK Disbandment to Secure Peace 

A protester waves a flag bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) jailed in Türkiye since 1999, during a demonstration calling for his release in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on February 15, 2025. (AFP)
A protester waves a flag bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) jailed in Türkiye since 1999, during a demonstration calling for his release in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on February 15, 2025. (AFP)
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Türkiye Says It Is Closely Monitoring PKK Disbandment to Secure Peace 

A protester waves a flag bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) jailed in Türkiye since 1999, during a demonstration calling for his release in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on February 15, 2025. (AFP)
A protester waves a flag bearing a portrait of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) jailed in Türkiye since 1999, during a demonstration calling for his release in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria on February 15, 2025. (AFP)

Türkiye is closely monitoring any attempts to undermine its peace initiative with the PKK, a senior official said Tuesday, following the militant Kurdish group’s announcement that it is dissolving and ending its decades-long armed conflict with the Turkish state.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by several, announced the historic decision on Monday months after its imprisoned leader called for the group to formally disband and disarm — a move that could bring an end to one of the Middle East’s longest-running insurgencies.

In making the call, the PKK leader stressed the need for securing Kurdish rights through negotiation rather than armed struggle.

Previous peace efforts with the group have failed, most recently in 2015. Given the past failures, a close aide to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed determination to uphold the current initiative and prevent any disruptions.

“We are closely following attempts to sabotage the process and we will not allow anyone to test our state’s determination in this regard,” Fahrettin Altun, the head of the Turkish presidential communications office said.

The PKK initially launched its struggle with the goal of establishing an independent Kurdish state. Over time, it moderated its objectives toward autonomy and greater Kurdish rights within Türkiye. The conflict, which has spilled into neighboring Iraq and Syria, has claimed tens of thousands of lives since it began in the 1980s.

The latest peace effort, which the government has labeled “Terror-Free Türkiye” was launched in October, after a key ally of Erdogan suggested parole for PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan if the PKK renounces violence and disbands.

Officials have not disclose details about the process that will follow the PKK’s decision.

Media close to the government have reported that the PKK’s disarmament process is expected to take three to four months, with weapons being collected at designated locations in northern Iraq under official supervision.

According to Hurriyet newspaper, the disarmament could be overseen jointly by Türkiye and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq or through a commission involving Türkiye, the United States, European Union nations and Iraq.

The newspaper also suggested that high-ranking PKK members may be relocated to third countries, while lower-ranking militants without arrest warrants could return to Türkiye once a legal framework is established to facilitate their reintegration.

Turkish officials have not responded to requests for comment on the report.

Analysts expect Ocalan to see improved prison conditions following the PKK's disbandment.

Erdogan said Monday the PKK’s declaration should apply to all PKK-affiliated groups, including Kurdish groups in Syria.

The Kurdish fighters in Syria have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces there. The leader of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces previously said Ocalan’s call for a dissolution does not apply to his group in Syria.

The group then reached an agreement with the central government in Damascus for a nationwide ceasefire and its merger into the Syrian army. Despite the deal, Kurdish officials in Syria later declared their desire for a federal state, sparking tensions with the Syrian government.

Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdogan’s government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends.