Sunni coexistence preacher shot dead in Iran

The cleric was killed by a bullet to the back from a hunting rifle

A Sunni cleric who worked on reconciliation and coexistence between Muslim sects in Iran has been shot and killed.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency says the Sunni preacher who had worked to reconcile Sunnis and Shiites, members of the two biggest sects in Islam, was shot in the back with a hunting rifle on Tuesday.

The report says the cleric, Abdolghafour Jamalzai, was outside a mosque in the town of Gorgan around 300 kilometres northeastern of Tehran.

The report didn’t say how many gunmen were involved or speculate on the possible motives for the assassination. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Tasnim says the cleric believed that enemies of Islam are trying to stir up trouble between Shiites and Sunnis. Iran is a majority Shiite nation.

In July, gunmen assassinated a Sunni cleric in southeastern Iran.

_____________

Read more:

Qatar Airways to increase flights to Iran despite US sanctions

Iran developing new missile capabilities, US researchers say

US sanctions on Revolutionary Guards causes Iran investment rethink

_____________