Zahedan [Iran], July 27 : A deadly armed assault was carried out this morning on the High Court building in Zahedan, the capital of Iranian (Western) Balochistan, in what has been described as one of the most significant militant attacks in the region in recent months, The Balochistan Post (TBP) reported.
According to TBP, the attack began at approximately 8:50 am local time when heavily armed fighters stormed the court complex on Azadi Street. The gunmen moved directly towards the judges' chambers and opened indiscriminate fire, reportedly killing or injuring multiple court staff and security personnel.
The Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl later issued a statement taking responsibility for what they called "Operation Justice for Bask." The group said the assault was a direct response to what it described as ongoing "judicial oppression against Baloch citizens." The attackers, according to the statement, belonged to a special unit named the "Fedayeen of Divine Justice," The Balochistan Post reported.
Shortly after the initial attack, a second assault was launched on the courthouse using mortars and hand grenades. This follow-up strike reportedly occurred as Iranian security forces began to assemble in large numbers around the site. Loud explosions, sustained gunfire, and plumes of smoke were witnessed across Zahedan's central district, TBP noted.
The situation in Zahedan remains extremely tense. The Iranian government has placed the city under high alert, and all movement near the court complex has been severely restricted. Residents reported that government forces fired indiscriminately toward civilians within the compound from surrounding rooftops, raising fears of more civilian casualties.
Iranian state media reported that three attackers were killed in the operation, while five targeted individuals died and at least fifteen others were injured, The Balochistan Post stated.
The attack marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing unrest in Sistan and Balochistan province, where tensions between the state and the Baloch population have long remained volatile, TBP added.