The purpose of this note is to emphasize the point that applied research with the aim of evaluating government policies for “preserving national security” in the face of the presence of ethnic groups (including the Baloch) must necessarily consider the role of legal structures (such as the constitution) and also examine how laws are implemented in practice. This necessity, in terms of the importance of evaluating the protection of human rights of ethnic groups, coincides with analyzing and considering “national security” and policies to protect it. In fact, national security policies in dealing with ethnic groups and their human rights are two sides of the same coin.

Although according to Article 19 of the Iranian Constitution, “the people of Iran, regardless of their ethnicity and tribe, are entitled to equal rights and race, ethnicity, language, and the like shall not be a cause for privilege,” information obtained from the writer’s conversation with some sources familiar with the situation of Baloch people shows that the majority of them suffer from institutionalized discrimination and a security-oriented approach that is either embedded in the laws or hidden in the government’s attitude towards them (both collectively and individually). For example, despite Article 15 of the Constitution stating that “…the use of local and ethnic languages in the media and group media and the teaching of their literature in schools, alongside Persian, is free,” informed sources have stated that in many cases, Baloch people are prohibited from formal education and widespread use of their ethnic literature. Additionally, since the government bases its legitimacy on the values derived from the Shia sect with a specific interpretation of a state, the majority of Baloch people

This is while some of the educated individuals who hold positions in the political and legal spheres of the country, in their statements about the position of the Baloch people in the diverse ethnic and religious fabric of Iran, have expressed concern about their growth and strength in their ethnic and traditional groups, as well as the power distribution structure within this ethnic group, especially the role of the Molavis (Sunni clerics) among the Baloch, and have considered them as the main cause of Baloch people’s separatism towards the central government. These individuals did not have an answer to the question about the position and role of established legal structures in discrimination. The Baloch people of Iran are located in the southeastern region of the country. Most Baloch people are Sunni and their way of life is based on the tribal system. Molavis are religious elites who, by playing a role in the political, religious, and cultural issues of Balochistan, are highly respected by the people, even more than the

In the face of ethnic groups, including the Baloch, the current political structure in Iran has moved towards denying and rejecting the existence of ethnic diversity through policies based on a type of security policy that stems from institutionalized discrimination in the structure of laws. By promoting cultural homogenization, it enforces a form of official violence, which manifests in the lack of respect for the rights of ethnic groups and the practical denial of their identity, with the aim of eradicating ethnic (and religious) diversity. The result is an increase in violence in society and, of course, the creation of more potential challenges for “national security” with vague definitions that the government holds. Analyzing the role of laws and examining their relationship with potential security strategies of the government in dealing with Iranian ethnic groups within the country, alongside examining other factors that lead to the “securitization” of multiple ethnicities in Iran, is necessary for any research that is aware of the importance of securing the human rights of