Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Zahedan Condemns Killing of Iranian Border Guards

Mawlawi Abdul Hamid, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, condemned the attack on border guards at the Mirjaveh border on Friday, May 8, describing the incident as "heartbreaking, shocking, and tragic." According to Mawlawi Abdul Hamid's information website, he stated during the Friday prayer ceremony in Zahedan: "We condemn these horrific and brutal crimes and recommend to everyone to be vigilant about security; security is in our favor and that of our community, and without security, sustainable development is not possible. Our province must be secure to move towards development and progress." The Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan added, "War and insecurity prevent development and progress; people must turn towards knowledge and law and pursue their problems through legal means." Mawlawi Abdul Hamid considered the killing of the border guards as a "serious concern" and said, "We must all strive to ensure that the province of Sistan and Baluchestan does not lose its tranquility, and the security that has prevailed in recent years must remain established and sustainable." Iranian officials say that 11 border guards were attacked by armed individuals while changing posts at the "Mile 100" checkpoint of the Chahandou battalion (Mirjaveh border regiment) on Wednesday evening, resulting in at least 9 Iranian border guards being killed. Meanwhile, Hossein Ashtari, the commander of the police force, stated at the funeral of six border soldiers at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad: "Armed groups should know that their terrorist actions at the Mirjaveh border will not go unanswered." According to IRNA, the funeral ceremony for the six killed soldiers from Khorasan was held on Friday. IRNA reports that 11 border guards of the police force, including three officers and eight conscripts, were killed in this attack. The group "Jaish al-Adl" claimed responsibility for the attack on the border guards in a statement, announcing that 12 members of the Chahandou battalion were killed in the operation. Jaish al-Adl considers itself a defender of the "Sunni" community in Sistan and Baluchestan, while Iranian officials label the group as "terrorist" and affiliated with foreign countries. Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson had asked the Pakistani government to be accountable regarding the presence and operations of "malicious groups" in its territory. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, expressed "deep concern and severe regret" in a letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan regarding the "recurrence of terrorist attacks from Pakistani soil" against Iran. In his letter to Nawaz Sharif, Rouhani demanded that "those responsible for this terrorist act be prosecuted and brought to justice." The province of Sistan and Baluchestan in southeastern Iran has repeatedly been a site of confrontation between the military and police forces of the Islamic Republic and armed groups, which Iranian officials refer to as "terrorists," "smugglers," and "bandits."