Iran Sunni cleric warns of deepening poverty, backs protests


Iran’s top Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid said on Friday that many Iranians were struggling to afford food and backed the nationwide protests.
“A large number of people in Iran are in need of bread,” he said. “Many people barely eat one meal a day.”
He accused officials of looting national resources. “They have plundered many of the country’s national resources,” he said.
Abdolhamid said protests in recent years had come at a high cost. “In past years, people have protested many times and have given their lives,” he said.
Warning of worsening conditions, he added: “We have reached a point where cemeteries could be created because of hunger.”
He said people from all backgrounds had joined the protests. “Last night, everyone saw that Iranians from all walks of life came out,” he said, adding that people had risen up “for their dignity and honour.”