Iran’s Sunni Leader Accuses Regime Snipers of Shooting at Demonstrators

A protester shows a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration to support Iranian protesters standing up to their leadership over the death of the young woman in police custody, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Paris. (AP)
A protester shows a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration to support Iranian protesters standing up to their leadership over the death of the young woman in police custody, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Paris. (AP)
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Iran’s Sunni Leader Accuses Regime Snipers of Shooting at Demonstrators

A protester shows a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration to support Iranian protesters standing up to their leadership over the death of the young woman in police custody, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Paris. (AP)
A protester shows a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration to support Iranian protesters standing up to their leadership over the death of the young woman in police custody, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Paris. (AP)

Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi, Iran's Sunni leader, accused security forces of targeting demonstrators by deploying snipers to rallies in Zahedan city.

In an Instagram message, he said “special Revolutionary Guard forces have fired at youth and teenagers on Friday.”

“Government forces responded by firing live bullets at young men who threw stones at a police station,” noted Ismaeelzahi.

“Most of the bullets were fired at the heads and hearts of the worshipers, and it was clear that it was the work of snipers,” he added.

Ismaeelzahi condemned what happened as a “disaster” and a “great injustice.”

“Security forces officers in plain clothes shot at people who were making their way back home,” he revealed.

Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets over the last two weeks to protest the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Iran's morality police in the capital of Tehran for allegedly not adhering to Iran's strict Islamic dress code.

On Saturday, Iran’s Tasnim news agency accused the Baluch opposition Jaish Al-Adl organization of being behind the attack on a police station.

Ali Mousavi, a Revolutionary Guard intelligence chief in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, was shot during the clashes on Friday and pronounced dead at a hospital.

The Baloch Activists Campaign said at least 56 people have died in Zahedan, the capital of the Sistan and Baluchistan province.

In a statement, the Campaign also revealed that 300 individuals were wounded in the clashes that authorities blamed on “separatist groups.”

Local media in the province reported that the protests continued despite the authorities cutting the internet in the area.

Iranian media reported that 20 civilians and five members of the Revolutionary Guard and Basij forces were killed on Friday.

In turn, a non-governmental organization called “Human Rights of Iran” accused security forces of carrying out “bloody repression” against a demonstration that took place after Friday prayers in Zahedan.

According to the human rights group, the protest was triggered by reports of a police chief raping a 15-year-old girl from the Sunni Baluch minority in Chabahar.



Thousands Mourn Top Iranian Military Commanders, Scientists Killed in Israeli Strikes

Mourners stand next to the coffin of Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami (R), and other military commanders killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during their funeral procession at Enqelab Square in the capital Tehran on June 28, 2025. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP)
Mourners stand next to the coffin of Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami (R), and other military commanders killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during their funeral procession at Enqelab Square in the capital Tehran on June 28, 2025. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP)
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Thousands Mourn Top Iranian Military Commanders, Scientists Killed in Israeli Strikes

Mourners stand next to the coffin of Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami (R), and other military commanders killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during their funeral procession at Enqelab Square in the capital Tehran on June 28, 2025. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP)
Mourners stand next to the coffin of Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami (R), and other military commanders killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during their funeral procession at Enqelab Square in the capital Tehran on June 28, 2025. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP)

Thousands of mourners lined the streets of downtown Tehran on Saturday for the funeral of the head of the Revolutionary Guard and other top commanders and nuclear scientists killed during a 12-day war with Israel.

The caskets of Guard's chief Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others were driven on trucks along the capital's Azadi Street.

Salami and Hajizadeh were both killed on the first day of the war, June 13, as Israel launched a war it said meant to destroy Iran's nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities.

Over 12 days before a ceasefire was declared on Tuesday, Israel claimed it killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, while hitting eight nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure sites. More than 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group.

Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that got through caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people.

Saturday's ceremonies were the first public funerals for top commanders since the ceasefire, and Iranian state television reported that they were for 60 people in total, including four women and four children.

Authorities closed government offices to allow public servants to attend the ceremonies.