The province of Sistan and Baluchestan in Iran, bordering with Afghanistan and Pakistan, has always been a sensitive region in Iran, and such a perception is not only deeply rooted in the public consciousness, but also is regularly accentuated by the state. The spectrum of the reasons for such a consideration is wide enough – from the relatively unfavorable social and economic conditions in the province to common problems related to smuggling from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The state conducts a purposeful and coordinated policy for preventing undesirable developments in the province that could cause a split within the society and promote anti-regime or, even, anti-state manifestations especially among the Sunni majority. 

The aim of this paper is to present the essence of the “Vahdat-e Islami” (“Islamic Unity”) Conventions – a tool aimed at the consolidation of the people in the province – and analyze its impact on the socio-political life of the province.

Vahe S. Boyajian is a Research Fellow in the Department of Contemporary Anthropological Studies at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, National Academy of Sciences, in Armenia. 

 Download Podcast

Duration: 00:40:18