9 foreign nationals killed in Southeastern Iran near Pakistan border

Unidentified gunmen targetted a house in Saravan city, resulting in the tragic deaths of nine foreign nationals

In a tragic incident on Saturday, gunmen in the Sirkan neighborhood of Saravan city in Sistan-Baluchistan province, southeastern Iran, targeted a house, resulting in the deaths of nine foreign nationals, as reported by the Mehr news agency.

Witnesses recounted the events, stating that unknown armed individuals carried out the attack. So far, no group or individuals have claimed responsibility for the assault.

This development comes just over a week after both Iran and Pakistan engaged in deadly cross-border fire in the Baluchistan region. The area, shared by the two nations, has experienced increased tensions aggravated by the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Sistan-Baluchistan, predominantly Sunni Muslim in a Shiite-dominated Iran, has been a hotbed of unrest involving cross-border drug-smuggling activities, Baluchi ethnic minority rebels, and extremist elements.

The recent military actions began on Jan. 18 when Pakistan launched airstrikes on what it referred to as “militant targets” in Iran. In response, Iran conducted strikes on Pakistani territory, targeting Jaish al-Adl, an extremist group blacklisted by Iran as a terrorist organization since its formation in 2012.

The Iranian strikes drew strong criticism from Islamabad, leading to the recall of the Pakistani ambassador from Tehran and the blocking of Iran’s envoy from returning to Islamabad. Tensions escalated as Iran summoned Islamabad’s charge d’affaires over the strikes, which resulted in casualties on both sides.

Despite the initial escalation, the two countries announced on Monday their decision to de-escalate, resuming diplomatic missions. Both ambassadors have returned to their respective posts, signaling a diplomatic thaw after a challenging period of heightened tensions.

Source: AFP