Iran has arrested 40 members of a "terrorist group" who plotted to attack military targets in the south-east of the country, the interior minister said on Thursday. Iran's south-eastern province of Sistan-Balochistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been the scene of armed clashes in recent weeks between Iranian forces and Sunni militants.
Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli, in statements carried by the official IRNA news agency, did not identify those detained. He said the suspects had built a tunnel 40 metres (132 feet) long and 20 metres deep which they had planned to use to carry out attacks. The governor of the city of Khash in Sistan-Balochistan said those arrested had "intended to carry out terrorist and sabotage acts" against important military and security centres.
Mohammad Akbar Sharekzehi said the suspects had "advanced military equipment" and were arrested by security forces in a nearby house before they could carry out "their evil plan". The governor gave no further details. On July 6, Iranian media reported that four Iranian border guards were killed in a clash with armed rebels in Sistan-Balochistan province without elaborating.