Five civilians, three gunmen killed in 'terrorist' attack in Southeast Iran

Tehran: Five civilians and three gunmen were killed during a "terrorist attack" on a judiciary building in southeast Iran on Saturday, according to state media.

“Unknown gunmen attacked the judiciary centre in Zahedan,” reported Mizan Online, the judiciary’s official outlet, referring to the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province.

“Five people have been killed and 13 injured in this terrorist attack,” the report said, noting the numbers were “preliminary” and the toll may rise.

Alireza Daliri, deputy police commander of Sistan-Baluchistan, said the attackers entered the building disguised as visitors and threw a grenade inside. Among the victims were a one-year-old child and the child's mother.

The official IRNA news agency said three assailants were killed during the assault, citing the regional command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to Iranian media reports, Jaish Al Adl — a Baloch jihadist group active in Iran and based across the border in Pakistan — claimed responsibility for the attack.

Zahedan, located about 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) southeast of Tehran, is part of a volatile region known for ongoing unrest involving militants, drug traffickers, and separatist groups. The province borders both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In one of the deadliest incidents in the area, ten Iranian police officers were killed in an October 2023 attack, which officials had also described as an act of terrorism.