Friday Imam Calls for Baha'is to Be Expelled

At the beginning of December, the Friday imam of Rafsanjan in Kerman province called for the expulsion of Baha'is from the city, describing the faith as an "impure sect.”

According to Fars News Agency, Abbass Ramazani-pour accused the religious minority of “doing many things” and “following various plans” that had a negative impact on the city. He said residents of the city supported the idea of the expulsion.

Ramazani-pour also announced that any transaction with the followers of the faith is prohibitted.

In a meeting of the district authorities, he added: "Numerous sects were created among the people in the course of history and the Holy Koran predicted this. Several such sects are present in the district of Rafsanjan.  Due to people's negligence, their members manage to live among the normal people and continue to do business with them, without being recognized. There are a few Jews in the city's bazaar doing business, but the order of Islam for Jews is different from the Baha'ii faith. This faith is impure, according to the fatwa of the clergy.”