Two Bombs Detonate in Southeast Iran, Injuring Police Officers – Reuters

LONDON – On Tuesday, two bombs detonated outside a police station in Zahedan, located in southeastern Iran, leading to minor injuries for three police officers, according to local officials.

The Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating that they targeted the police station with "two strong bombs," which resulted in damage to both a police vehicle and a motorcycle.

Mohammad Qanbari, the head of Sistan-Baluchestan police, indicated that the first explosion was caused by a percussion grenade. Additionally, a "suspicious package" was found on the street; it exploded before being neutralized by a bomb disposal team, contributing to the injuries sustained by the officers.

Zahedan serves as the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province, a region frequently affected by clashes between Iranian security forces and armed groups involved in drug smuggling and militant activities. This province is primarily inhabited by Sunni ethnic Baluchis, who are a minority within the predominantly Shiite nation of Iran.

In a related incident in October, Jaish al-Adl claimed to have kidnapped ten Iranian security personnel, including members of the Revolutionary Guards, with some still being held captive.

The group has previously stated that its operations are acts of retaliation against what they describe as the Iranian government’s oppression of Sunnis in the region.

In September, Iranian Revolutionary Guards engaged and killed four Sunni militants at a border crossing with Pakistan, which included the second-in-command of Jaish al-Adl.

The Shiite government of Iran has accused its Sunni rival, Saudi Arabia, of supporting separatist factions operating within its borders; a claim that Riyadh has denied, dismissing any involvement in Iran’s internal conflicts.