Arrest of 'Members of a Terrorist Team' in Southeast Iran

On Tuesday, January 15, the Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the arrest of a group of individuals in the 'Sarbaz' region of southeastern Iran, referring to them as 'members of a terrorist team.' According to ISNA news agency, the public relations office of the Quds Headquarters of the IRGC stated that this team had previously killed 'several teachers and Basij forces in the southeastern region' of Iran. The statement from the Quds Headquarters read: 'With the efforts of the fighters of the Quds Headquarters and the military and law enforcement forces under its command, a terrorist team was identified and arrested in a successful operation.' According to IRNA news agency, Hossein Rahimi, the police chief of Sistan and Baluchestan, stated that 12 individuals had been arrested in connection with this case. Meanwhile, according to IRNA, Hossein Ali Shahriari, a representative from Zahedan in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, announced that the number of detainees was 9 and mentioned that 'one of the main perpetrators of these murders, who was also a Mowlavi, has fled, and efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.' On Sunday, the website 'Baloch Activists Campaign' reported the arrest of 'at least 30 individuals' in the village of Nasirabad Sarbaz in connection with the murder of a teacher and a Basij member in the area. According to reports from the police and the education department, on Thursday evening, January 11, a teacher and a member of the Basij forces in the 'Nasirabad' village, near the city of Rask in Sistan and Baluchestan province, were killed by two motorcyclists. ISNA identified the deceased teacher as Eisa Shahroki Asil and the Basij member as Adham Sabouri. Hossein Rahimi, the police chief of Sistan and Baluchestan, also told Fars news agency that the two motorcyclists first 'assassinated a Sunni Basij member who was returning home from buying bread' and '200 meters ahead, opened fire on a Shia teacher' and fled the scene. The village of Nasirabad is located 35 kilometers from the city of Rask in southern Sistan and Baluchestan province, which is the center of Sarbaz County. Reports indicate that Eisa Shahroki is the third teacher to be assassinated in Sistan and Baluchestan province this year, following Javad Norouzi and Reza Sargazi. The head of the National Security Working Group of the Parliament announced that a letter had been sent to the Minister of Interior regarding the recent incidents in Sistan and Baluchestan and that this matter would be pursued with special attention. Mohammad Reza Mohseni Sani stated in an interview with the Parliament news agency, 'A letter from the National Security Working Group of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission has been written to the Minister of Interior regarding the assassination of the Basij and teacher martyr in the recent incident in Sistan and Baluchestan province to ensure this matter is pursued with special sensitivity.' This parliament member urged provincial officials and the elders of Baluchestan to condemn and denounce these actions and 'to come forward and enlighten the people about such incidents so that the security and peace of the region are not disturbed.'