One killed, five injured in attack on IRGC base in Southeast Iran

One member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was killed and five were wounded in an attack on a base in Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) base in Nikshahr, southeastern Iran on Saturday, Iranian media reported.

Nikshahr is located in Sistan-Baluchestan province, with a substantial Sunni population who have a lower standard of living compared with the rest of the country and complain of religious and political discrimination by the ruling Shiite establishment.

“A (paramilitary) Basij base in Nik Shahr came under ... fire this morning and several from the Revolutionary Guards communications personnel who were wiring the base were hit,” Mohammad Hadi Marashi, provincial deputy governor for security affairs, told the state news agency IRNA.

“Five of the Guards personnel were wounded and one was martyred,” Marashi said, adding that anniversary events were proceeding peacefully.

An hour after the attack a Twitter account said to be linked with Jaysh-ol-Adl, a Sunni militant group took responsibility for the attack.

Iran’s Mehr news agency reports that according to the local prosecutor, two armed individuals breached the wall of the military compound and opened fire during morning ceremonies killing one and injuring five others, all IRGC personnel.

Iranian authorities and media call the attack a “terrorist” act. It took place as the Islamic Republic celebrates the 40th anniversary of the 1979 revolution for ten days.

On Tuesday, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) claimed responsibility for two bombings that wounded three police officers in front of a police station in the city of Zahedan, capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province.