Rumors Of Possible Khamenei Meeting With Zahedan Victims' Families

Iran's ruler Ali Khamenei
Iran's ruler Ali Khamenei

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei may meet with some of the families of the victims of Bloody Friday, the massacre that killed over 120 civilians in the wake of Mahsa Amini's death.

Halvash, which specializes in news from Sistan and Baluchestan Province where the massacre of dozens of civilians happened last year, suggested that Iranian security forces are seeking the assistance of trusted and influential local figures for the potential meeting in a bid to quash further unrest.

The tentative date for the meeting is rumored to be September 11 in Tehran, according to Mostafa Mahami, a representative of Khamenei in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, with the government using promises of compensation and security to encourage participation.

During the suppression of the September 30 protests, known as Bloody Friday, at least 123 citizens, including women and children, lost their lives due to direct gunfire from military and security forces, with many succumbing to head and chest injuries.

The Sunni Friday Prayer Imam of Zahedan, Mowlavi Abdolhamid, persistently called for an investigation into the massacre and the prosecution of those responsible. However, to date, no one has been charged or tried in connection with the incident.

As the first anniversary of the nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic, sparked by the government's killing of Mahsa Amini, approaches, the government has intensified pressure on families of victims seeking justice to stay quiet and refrain from further protest.