Destruction of Two Terrorist Groups in Two Border Provinces of Iran

On Saturday, November 30, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence reported the "destruction of two terrorist teams" in the provinces of West Azerbaijan and Sistan and Baluchestan. According to ISNA news agency, the Deputy Security Minister of Intelligence, whose name was not mentioned, stated that "along with the destruction of a terrorist team" in Sistan and Baluchestan, the perpetrators of the assassination of civil registry employees and teachers in this province were also arrested. He added: "This terrorist team, which operated in line with the goals of global imperialism and local extremists, intended to make border communication routes in public areas of Rask - Iranshahr unsafe by detonating over 150 kilograms of explosives in the form of 10 bombs." The Deputy Security Minister did not mention the identity of this group. On April 23, 2014, Mohammad Reza Sayadi, an employee of the civil registry in the city of Sarbaz in Sistan and Baluchestan, was shot and killed by unknown assailants. In recent years, several teachers in various cities of Sistan and Baluchestan, including Sarbaz, Rask, and Iranshahr, have been killed by armed individuals. Previously, officials from the Ministry of Intelligence and the police had reported the arrest of the perpetrators of the assassination of teachers in the cities of Rask and Sarbaz. In recent months, Iranian security officials have repeatedly reported the arrest of groups that they claim intended "terrorist actions" and "placing explosives" in eastern provinces of Iran. For instance, Qassem Rezaei, the commander of the Islamic Republic's border guards, reported on Saturday, July 20, the "destruction" of a "terrorist" group at the Iran-Pakistan border, stating that this group intended to carry out explosive and terrorist actions in "cities of the country, especially Zahedan, Kerman, and Bam." The Deputy Security Minister also mentioned that "a terrorist team of anti-revolutionary groups that entered the country with the aim of terrorist and sabotage actions was destroyed in West Azerbaijan." He announced that "a significant amount of weapons and ammunition from this terrorist team" was discovered. The western provinces of Iran have witnessed clashes between Iranian security forces and the PJAK group in recent months. Hossein Siavani Asl, the governor of Khoy County, reported on Tuesday, September 8, clashes between the PJAK group (Party of Free Life of Kurdistan) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the border region of Iran and Turkey. Bahman Reyhani, the commander of the Nabi Akram Corps in Kermanshah province, reported on Tuesday, September 1, the killing and wounding of several individuals he referred to as "anti-revolutionaries" during operations by the IRGC to "cleanse" some border areas of this province. Earlier, the deputy of the IRGC in Kurdistan province had reported that five members of the Basij forces in Kamyaran County were killed in a "heavy clash" with PJAK forces on Tuesday, August 11. On August 1, reports emerged about clashes between the IRGC and PJAK forces near the village of "Cham Zareh" in the villages of "Thalath and Babajani" in Kermanshah province, resulting in the deaths of several members of this group.