The United Nations has denounced in the strongest terms a vicious terrorist assault on Rask County's police headquarters in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, emphasizing that all perpetrators must be brought to justice.
“The United Nations strongly condemns the attack today on a police headquarters in Sistan and Baluchestan province, the Islamic Republic of Iran, for which the group “Jaish al-Adl” had claimed responsibility, reportedly resulting in at least 11 casualties,” Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said in a statement on Friday.
He stressed the need to bring to justice the perpetrators of the attack.
Dujarric added that “the UN expresses deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It wishes a speedy recovery of the injured.”
Alireza Marhamati, deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in security and political affairs, said several terrorists staged the attack at around 2:00 a.m. local time on Friday (2230 GMT Thursday) against the headquarters of Rask Police.
He said that 11 police forces, including officers and conscripts, were killed in the attack.
Some of the injured are in critical condition, Marhamati added.
The Pakistan-based so-called Jaish-ul-Adl terror group claimed responsibility for the assault.
Majid Mirahmadi, deputy interior minister for security and police affairs, said the terrorists attacked the police post from several directions and later ambushed reinforcements deployed to the location.
He said two of the terrorists were killed and one of them was injured and arrested in hours-long clashes, while the rest escaped.
Six police forces were injured during the exchange of fire, he said.
Earlier, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, had called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and also rotating President of the Security Council José de la Gasca to condemn the terrorist attack in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns such abhorrent and atrocious acts of terrorism, reiterating its unwavering commitment to ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice and held accountable."
“The Islamic Republic of Iran urgently calls on the Secretary-General and Security Council to condemn the attack unequivocally and in the strongest terms possible," Iravani wrote in two identical letters.
"This appeal aligns with the Secretary-General's consistent and clear stance, as well as the established practice of the Security Council, which has consistently recognized and reaffirmed, through resolutions, terrorism as a grave threat to international peace and security.”
The Iranian UN ambassador also underscored that his country “remains steadfast in its commitment to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”