The Iranian authorities of the "Islamic Republic" have a long track record of suppressing religious minorities in Iran. This time, they have turned their screw on Sufis, who observe Islamic beliefs but also believe in pursuit of the truth through mysticism. The radical and conservative religious and political forces in Iran consider Sufism a danger to Islam.

Since the rise of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to presidency, Iranian Sufis have witnessed fresh waves of persecution in the form of destruction of holy places, harassment and arrest of Sufi leaders, and general ill treatment of members of the Sufi community. On February 18, 2009, one of the oldest and most historical holy sites of the Ni'matollahi Gonabadi Sufi community, the largest Sufi order in Iran, was destroyed in city of Isfahan. Other holy sites were destroyed in the cities of Borujerd in 2007 and Qom in 2006. A Sufi prayer house in Kish was forced to close in late 2008. Thousands of Sufis from all over the country have faced arrest, been sentenced to lashings, or been forced to pledge not to attend Sufi ceremonies. The desecration of sacred sites and harassment of the Sufis is yet another despicable attempt on the part of the Iranian government to squelch religious freedom in Iran and bring harm to the entire Iranian Sufi community.

The Sufis have lived in Iran since the 7th Century, and have contributed vastly to the cultural development of the country. Their message of love and unity has been welcomed in the West through poets and philosophers, such as Rumi and Hafez, translated into English. Under the Islamic Republic of Iran, and particular under the yoke of the current regime, the Sufis are experiencing a sweeping blow to the community's vitality and development. Today the Iranian government regards Sufis as "deviants" and even some as "infidels." They have few rights and are not permitted to follow the leaders of their community. Their historical sites, places of worship, and leaders are constantly assaulted.

We, the undersigned, call upon the United Nations and Amnesty International to call for the halt of this religious harassment and to appeal to the Iranian government to respect the civil and human rights of the Sufis, together with all other minority groups in Iran.