Iran has appointed Mansour Bijar, a member of the Baluch minority, as the governor of the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. This appointment, announced by government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani following a cabinet meeting, marks the first time a Baluch individual will govern the region.
Background of the Region and Recent Tensions
Bijar’s appointment comes shortly after an attack claimed by the militant group Jaish al-Adl, which resulted in the deaths of at least 10 policemen. Sistan-Baluchistan, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, has long faced security issues, with frequent clashes involving separatist and Sunni extremist groups. Jaish al-Adl, established by Baluch separatists in 2012, is classified as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States.
Increased Representation of Ethnic Minorities
This appointment is part of a broader trend in Iran, with recent moves to increase representation of ethnic minorities. In September, Iran named its first Sunni governor in Kurdistan province since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Furthermore, President Masoud Pezeshkian appointed Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, a Sunni politician, as vice president for rural development, though parliament later voted to retain him in the legislature due to his “capabilities and experience.”
Recognition of Arab and Sunni Leaders
In another significant move, the government last week appointed Mohammad Reza Mavalizadeh as the first Arab governor of Khuzestan, a southwestern province with a sizable Arab population. Sunnis make up approximately 10% of Iran’s population, with Shia Islam as the official state religion, and these recent appointments mark a shift towards broader representation within the predominantly Shia government.
