Iranian MP slams President Pezeshkian for marginalizing Sunnis

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Kurdish MP Mohammad Qasim Othmani from the city of Bukan criticized Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for neglecting the Sunni community, which numbers around 15 million.

According to a report by the Iranian news network Shargh, Othmani accused Pezeshkian's government of failing to bring about the promised change despite the public's call for reform. Othmani argued that the government's composition did not reflect any real progress or reform.

Othmani addressed Pezeshkian directly, stating, "National unity cannot be achieved by bringing together opposites. You have formed a coalition government. This joint government will soon reveal contradictions and will have to change, which will halt the country's executive affairs."

Continuing his criticism, Othmani remarked, "You were supposed to be the voice of the voiceless. You criticized previous wrong methods, spoke about youth, the oppression of the Sunni community, reform, and neglected women's rights. But none of this has been implemented. Will you act on your pleasant words? Out of the entire large community of women, you have only appointed one woman and did not trust any Sunni individual. Did you come for change?"

He questioned, "You called for national unity, yet how can you apply this slogan while ignoring 15 million Sunnis and excluding them from ministerial positions?"

Othmani further asked, "Can national consensus be achieved without us? Without the Kurds? Without the Baluchis? Without the Turkmen? Is this possible? You have given your opponents a share but nothing to 15 million Sunnis."

He concluded by expressing frustration that the public feels deceived by the elections, asserting, "Your government was supposed to represent all ethnicities and religions, but you have not even explained why we have not been given any space to work within the government."