Baloch people in Iran

File:Map of Balochi-inhabited provinces of Iran, according to a poll in 2010.PNG]]

The Baloch in are the majority ethnic inhabitants of the region of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran. The town of Jask in neighbouring Hormozgan Province is also inhabited by Baloch people. Baloch people also make up a minority in the eastern parts of Kerman, Razavi Khorasan and South Khorasan (Khorasani Baloch) and are scattered throughout other provinces of Iran.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/khorasan-1-ethnic-groups |title=KHORASAN i. ETHNIC GROUPS |website=Encyclopædia Iranica}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.lingfil.uu.se/research/the-balochi-language-project/ |title=The Balochi Language Project

|website=Uppsala University|date=23 May 2024

}}{{cite news|url=http://library.sharif.ir/parvan/resource/260027/%D8%B3%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86 |author=Sir Charles Yate, 1st Baronet|title=A travelogue of Khorasan and Sistan |work=Sharif University of Technology|location=Iran|access-date=19 January 2024}} They speak the Rakhshani and Sarawani dialects of Balochi, an Iranian language.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sl_dDVctycgC&q=iran+Rakhshani&pg=RA1-PA308|title=International Encyclopedia of Linguistics: 4-Volume Set|last=Frawley|first=William|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|year=2003|isbn=978-0-19-513977-8|pages=308|language=en}} They mainly inhabit mountainous terrains, which have allowed them to maintain a distinct cultural identity and resist domination by neighbouring rulers.

Approximately 20-25% of the Baloch population live in Iran. Estimates of the Iranian Baloch population range from 2.5 to 4 million{{Cite web|url=https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2013/sep/03/iran-minorities-2-ethnic-diversity|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150121170519/http://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2013/sep/03/iran-minorities-2-ethnic-diversity|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 21, 2015|title=Iran Minorities 2: Ethnic Diversity|website=United States Institute of Peace|date=3 September 2013 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}{{cite book |last=Tyagi |first= Vidya Prakash |year=2009 |title=Martial races of undivided India |publisher= Kalpaz Publications |page=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vRwS6FmS2g0C|isbn=9788178357751}}

The Baloch are predominantly Muslim, with the vast majority belonging to the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam, but there is also tiny proportion of Shia in Balochistan.{{cite book |last=Korn, Jahani, Titus|first= Agnes, Carina, Paul Brian |title=The Baloch and Others Linguistic, Historical and Socio-political Perspectives on Pluralism in Balochistan |publisher= Reichert Verlag |date=2008 |page=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nNoRAQAAMAAJ&q=baloch%20shia%20sunni|language=en|isbn=9783895005916}}{{Cite web |title=Baloch people |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Baloch|website=Encyclopædia Britannica}}

Iranian Balochistan is characterized by rugged mountains, deserts, and arid plains. It forms part of the larger Balochistan region, which extends into Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Iran, the Baloch are divided into two groups: the Makrani and the Sarhadi. The cities such as Iranshahr, Chabahar, Nikshahr, Sarbaz, and Saravan are known as the Makran region, while Zahedan and Khash are known as the Sarhad.region.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/baluchistan-iv |title=BALUCHISTAN iv. Music of Baluchistan| website=Encyclopædia Iranica}}

Balochistan of Iran has been regarded as the most underdeveloped, desolate, and poorest region of the country. A 2024 report by the Majlis Research Center found Sistan and Baluchistan to be the country's most deprived province "by a significant margin."{{cite web |author= |date=25 April 2024 |title=Iranian Parliament Names Sistan and Baluchistan as Most Deprived Region |url=https://iranwire.com/en/news/128106-iranian-parliament-names-sistan-and-baluchistan-as-most-deprived-region/ |website=IranWire |location= |publisher= |access-date=17 June 2025}} The government of Iran has been trying to reverse this situation by implementing new plans such as the creation of the Chabahar Free Trade Zone.{{Cite web|url=https://atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/iran-and-india-revive-economic-relations-with-new-chabahar-agreement/|title=Iran and India Revive Economic Relations with New Chabahar Agreement|date=2018-02-18|website=Atlantic Council|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-04}}

Abu 'Ali Muhammad b. Ilyas a member of the Samanid army and was of Sogdian origin. After the rebellion failed he fled south, eventually arriving at Kerman in 932. He managed to extend his control over the northern part of the province, while the southern and eastern mountainous portions remained under the control of the Baloch.{{cite web|last1=Bosworth|first1=C. E.|title=ĀL-E ELYĀS|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/al-e-elyas|publisher=Encyclopaedia Iranica|accessdate=5 March 2017|language=en}}

File:مهاجمان سرحد بلوچستان.png, translated version(In Persian)]]

Firuz Shah and Edro Shah were one of the ancestors of Baloch tribe of Tamandani, who ruled the Sarhad until the Safavid dynasty.{{cite book |last1=Afshar |first1= Iraj |title=Tribes and clans of Sistan and Baluchestan|date=1992 |pages=74, 45|publisher= Nasle Danesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E45IAAAAMAAJ&q=%D8%AA%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86|language=fa}}

Mir Bolan Rigi was a Baloch general who accompanied Nader Shah Afshar in the Battle of Karnal. His assistance to Nader paved the way for the conquest of India. Nader Shah granted Mir Bolan Rigi the region of Mirjaveh in return for Mir Bolan’s assistance in the battle against India. The name Mirjaveh in the Balochi language means “place of the Mir” (residence of the Emir) and refers to this historical event.

During the 19th century at time of World War I the British expanded their influence into Balochistan as part of their broader colonial strategy.{{cite book |last= Malik |first= Fida Hussain |year=2020 |title=Balochistan A Conflict of Narratives|publisher= Saiyid Books |page=138 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VNwCEAAAQBAJ|isbn=9789692200028}}

The Baloch tribes, resisted the influence of British powers.This resistance took the form of tribal rebellions and sporadic attacks in the border region.

The Baloch tribes, resisted the influence of British powers.This resistance took the form of tribal rebellions and sporadic attacks in the border region.Ten Thousand Miles in Persia or Eight Years in Iran ({{ISBN|1430485973}}) by Percy Molesworth Sykes, pp. 107, 131, 230 The three major tribes that performed raids and disturbed the British line were the Yarahmadzais, Gamshadzais and Ismaelzais.The raiders of the Sarhad: being the account of a campaign of arms and bluff against the brigands of the Persian-Baluchi border during the great war, General Reginald Dyer Sardar Jiand Khan Yarahmadzai, Juma Khan the tribal chief of the Ismaelzais and Khalil Khan Gamshadzai fought against Reginald Dyer, in the battle Jiand lost his son and the Gamshadzais chief (Khalil Khan) got killed during one of the battles. two of the yarahmadzais lost their lives while the losses for Dyer were devastating.Suhail 1927 Kennard, Coleridge.

Britain and Iran divided Balochistan into many parts, with the British creating the Balochistan Agency in 1877. In the 19th century, nationalists in western Balochistan revolted against the Persian occupation. At the end of the 19th century, when Sardar Hussein Narui Baloch started an uprising against Persia which was crushed by joint Anglo-Persian mission forces. The struggle between the Qajar dynasty, and the British in eastern Balochistan, gave western Balochis a chance to gain control of their territory in Western Balochistan. At the beginning of the 20th century. In 1916.{{Cite book |last=Breseeg |first=Taj Mohammad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cw0DHAAACAAJ |title=Baloch Nationalism: Its Origin and Development |date=2004 |publisher=Royal Book Company |isbn=9789694073095 |pages=145 |language=en}} Mir Dost Muhammad Khan Baloch, Bahram Khan's nephew, succeeded to the throne, and in 1920, he proclaimed himself Shah-e-Balochistan (Persian for King of Balochistan) but in 1928, Reza Shah came into power and Persian forces started operations against Baluchi forces with the help of British. The Baluch were defeated and Mir Dost Muhammad Khan Baloch captured.{{cite book |last=Dashti|first= Naseer |title=The Baloch and Balochistan |publisher= Trafford Publishing |date=2012 |pages=132–133|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xIjyLNpusbAC|language=en|isbn=9781466958968}}

In Sarhad, Sardar Said Khan Kurd, who was the chief of Baloch tribes resisted the Qajar attack, but Ebrahim Khan Zahir al-Dawlah, the governor of Bam, defeated him with government forces. However, Ebrahim Khan was failed to capture the whole of the Sarḥadd.{{Cite web |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/baluchistan-ia |title=BALUCHISTAN i. Geography, History and Ethnography (cont.)| website=Encyclopædia Iranica}}

During the 1950s, tribal revolt led by a Baloch farmer Mir Daad Shah struck south eastern Iran. He participated in a rebellion and armed insurgency against the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in the 1950s.{{cite book |last1=Taheri|first1= Ahmad Reza |title=A Sociopolitical Study of Iranian Baloch Elites (1979-2013) |date=2014 |publisher= Lulu.com |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lfpBgAAQBAJ&dq=baloch++khorasan&pg=PA13|language=en|isbn=9781312349681}}

On September 30, 2022(Bloody Friday) in Zahedan a large number of Baloch civilians gathered for Friday prayers at the Grand Makki Mosque, the largest Sunni mosque in Iran, located in Zahedan.

After the prayers, peaceful demonstrations began, demanding justice for the sexual assault case of the alleged rape of a 15-year-old Baloch girl in June that by a commander of the police force in Chabahar. Iranian security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and riot police, surrounded the area and opened fire on the protesters.{{cite book |last= Anderson |first= Kevin B.|year=2024 |title=A Political Sociology of Twenty-First Century Revolutions and Resistances|publisher= Taylor & Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyMREQAAQBAJ|isbn=9781040107423}}{{cite news |title=Iran: At least 82 Baluchi protesters and bystanders killed in bloody crackdown |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/10/iran-at-least-82-baluchi-protesters-and-bystanders-killed-in-bloody-crackdown/ |access-date=13 October 2022 |work=Amnesty International |date=6 October 2022 |language=en}}

According to human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Baloch activist groups, at least 96 people were killed on the day of the massacre, and hundreds were injured.

Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi called the incident a "catastrophe" and demanded "trial and punishment for those responsible for those who have killed people", adding that worshipers were shot in head and heart by snipers.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-02 |title="جمعه خونین" زاهدان؛ مولوی عبدالحمید: تیرها به سر و قلب نمازگزاران شلیک شده |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/articles/cgx9xvwvl49o |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=BBC News فارسی |language=fa}}

From this event, a picture of Khodanur Lojei, a Baloch protester whose hands were tied to a flagpole, with a cup of water put in front of him (but out of his reach) became a symbol in the ongoing protests.{{cite book |last= Azizi |first= Arash|year=2024 |title=What Iranians Want|publisher= Oneworld Publications |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N6avEAAAQBAJ|isbn=9780861547128}}

File:Street football in Iran فوتبال خیابانی (یا زمین خاکی) - یا (گل کوچیک) در ایران- منطقه جنوب کرمان 05.jpg

Rug weaving is a common profession among the Baloch nomads of Khorasan.{{Cite web |title=Baluchi rug |url=https://www.britannica.com/art/Baluchi-rug |website=Encyclopædia Britannica}} Balochi rugs, floor coverings made by the Baloch, are often sold widely in the carpet market and rug weaving industry of Iran.

The Baloch have their own dress code and have preserved the Baloch dress, which is their culture. Balochi needlework and Balochi handicrafts are the art of Baloch women in Iran. Among the most important centers of Balochi embroidery are Espakeh, Fanuj, Bampur, Irandegan, Marandegan and Jaleq.

Balochi music is popular among the Baloch people of Iran, and many artists are active in this field.

• Shir-Mohammad Espandar
• Din Mohammad Zangshahi
• Abd-ur-Rahmân Surizehi
• Rostam Mirlashari
• Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi
• Mahtab Norouzi
• Fariba Balouch

• Khorasani Baloch
• Sistan and Baluchestan province
• Ethnic-based discrimination in Iran

{{reflist}}

{{Iranian peoples}}

{{Ethnic groups in Iran}}

Category:Ethnic groups in Iran

Category:Baloch people

Category:Sistan and Baluchestan province