Iran - Trouble at Home

18 Revolutionary Guards killed in south-east Iran bombing

14 Feb 2007
Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran – At least 18 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were killed in a bombing in the restive south-eastern province of Sistan-va-Baluchistan, state media reported on Wednesday.

The bomb exploded next to a bus belonging to the IRGC Ground Forces as it was travelling down Tharollah Boulevard in the city of Zahedan, close to the Afghan border, the official news agency IRNA said.

IRNA quoted Soltanali Mir, the provincial director general of political affairs, as saying that five individuals had been arrested in connection with the bombing. Two of the individuals arrested were armed with grenades and were carrying video cameras, Mir said.

He added that Iranian security forces had killed a member of an outlawed group in the province on Tuesday. There has been no official claim for the bombing.

Sistan-va-Baluchistan Province is home to Baluchis, a predominantly Sunni Muslim ethnic minority. Iran has witnessed escalating unrest since 2006 in areas populated by Baluchis, who complain of discriminatory and repressive policies by the theocratic regime. More....

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Public hangings in Iran are an every day occurrence. It has been reported that in one week there were at least 12 hangings.

The Sistan-va-Baluchistan area of Iran has been targeted by the government as a hot bed of opposition. The chief of the State Security Forces was recently killed in the neighboring village of Delgan.

One of the main opposition groups in this Sunni - Muslim dominated area is, Jondollah Organisation of Iran (Soldiers of Allah), and has been linked to assassination attempts on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, has recently announced responsibility in the attacks.

I have not been able to find this group listed as a known terrorist group and reports out of China suggest the United States is supporting them.

King