Iran Vows To Avenge Deaths Of Border Guards In Southeast

At least five Iranian patrol officers died on Saturday in a clash with what the regime calls “terrorists” on the Pakistani border.

In his remarks at the funeral in Zahedan, Deputy Police Chief Qassem Rezaei warned the culprits that they would face a decisive and firm response.

However, Rezaei stressed that the longstanding relations between Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan should not be strained by the attack.

Iranian media reported that the border guards spotted a group of armed men near the border in Saravan, in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

The five officers were killed in the ensuing confrontation with the “terrorist group” on Saturday night.

Two other guards were left seriously injured and are in a critical condition.

In addition, the Iranian border police commander urged neighboring countries not to allow destabilizing activities on their soil.

Brigadier General Ahmad Ali Goudarzi said, "Our patience has limits."

There is no information about the affiliation of the armed group, but several Baluch groups from the area are fighting an insurgency against the Islamic Republic.

The most prominent is Jaish al-Adl, which has often targeted Iran's military, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In recent months, the situation in Sistan-Baluchistan has dramatically worsened. The area’s cities have become very tense, especially on Fridays, when residents come out to protest against the regime.

There have been reports of numerous attacks on military and government forces in the province in the months since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini last year sparked nationwide protests.