Iran's Baloch minority want Israeli strikes to continue until regime falls, activist tells 'Post'
According to Iran Human Rights, at least 108 Baloch individuals were executed in Iran in 2024, accounting for 11% of all recorded executions.
A Baloch human rights activist in Iran, who has spent a decade in prison, told The Jerusalem Post that the Islamic regime is pressuring minority communities, including the Baloch, to appear supportive of the Tehran regime. The activist, identified only as "B," claimed that not a single Baloch family in Sistan and Baluchestan, a province accounting for nearly 10% of Iran's landmass, is without the loss of at least one member to the regime.
Iran Human Rights reported that 108 Baloch individuals were executed in 2024, accounting for 11% of all recorded executions, despite making up only 2% to 6% of Iran's population.
B explained that the regime labels the Baloch and other minorities as collaborators with Israel, despite the minority group's lack of hostility towards Israel. He said that the Baloch, being mostly Sunni Muslims, do not promote hatred of Israel, unlike the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The activist also highlighted the discrimination faced by the Baloch community, which limits their economic opportunities and leaves many with few options but to smuggle subsidized fuel across borders to survive.
He cited the case of Ya qub Mehrnahad, a young blogger who was executed in 2008 after a closed-door trial widely condemned as unfair. B described the torture and coercion faced by Baloch people, who are forced to make statements they are being forced to make and have their footage broadcast on television without proper judicial proceedings.
B reflected on his own years in prison, where he witnessed minors and individuals being held without charge. He described the dire conditions faced by the Baloch community, from psychological trauma resulting from repeated executions to extreme poverty in a region rich in oil and minerals. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has not worsened conditions for the Baloch, as the supplies imported to Iran are not meant for their community, he said.
Instead, he supported the continuation of the Israeli strikes against the regime, stating that as long as the regime remains in power, it will continue to benefit from the Strait of Hormuz, allowing it to rebuild and grow stronger to suppress protests and prevent the regime from falling.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
