A Member of Parliament: Eight More Arrested in Connection with Teacher Assassinations in Sistan and Baluchestan

Baqer Hosseini, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, announced on Saturday, January 30, the arrest of eight more individuals in connection with the assassination of teachers in Sistan and Baluchestan province by security and law enforcement forces. According to Mehr News Agency, Baqer Hosseini stated: "After the arrest of 12 terrorists related to this case, the identification of other suspects continued until security agents were able to identify and arrest eight more terrorists through continuous efforts." According to this parliament member, the arrested individuals were all members of Jaish al-Adl. Baqer Hosseini emphasized that these individuals were identified in a safe house in the southern part of the province and were arrested during an intelligence and law enforcement operation. The member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission added that among the detainees, the main perpetrators of the teacher assassinations are also present, and it is appropriate to thank the security activists in the southeastern region of Iran for their efforts. According to Baqer Hosseini, at least 20 individuals have been arrested in connection with the teacher assassinations in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Since the beginning of the year 1393 (2014), four teachers have been shot dead by armed individuals. According to the report, one of these four teachers was killed due to personal disputes, while three others were killed by individuals linked to armed groups. Eisa Shahroki, Javad Norouzi, and Reza Sargazi are three teachers who have been assassinated in Sistan and Baluchestan province since the beginning of this year. Reza Sargazi, a teacher from the villages of "Karchan and Gornak" in the Qasr Qand district, was killed on October 21 while returning from school by two motorcyclists. Javad Norouzi was also assassinated on April 15 in the Sarbaz district. Sistan and Baluchestan province has witnessed armed clashes between security forces and opposing groups in recent years.