World Threats

Jundullah, a Baluch militant group, is taking credit for the attack but Iran is blaming the U.K. and U.S. for using them as a proxy. The suicide bombing, carried out with a belt bombing, was in Sistan-Baluchistan Province and killed 31 people, including local tribal leaders meeting with the Revolutionary Guards officials. There are conflicting reports that a second bomb blast may have occurred as well.

At least six IRGC members were killed, including the provincial commander for the IRGC and the overall deputy-commander, General Noor Ali Shoostari, who has played a pivotal role in Iranian support to terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. and U.K. have condemned the attack.

Update: Michael Ledeen writes that the IRGC meeting was held to coordinate the receiving of terrorists fleeing the Pakistani offensive into South Waziristan. The suicide bomber from Jundullah had had two of his brothers killed by the IRGC and that was his motivation for the attack. Ledeen also points out that we cannot trust the regime’s casualty numbers, saying that “at the minimum, 108 were killed, including 57 members of the Revolutionary Guards.”

Ledeen also says that the head commander of the IRGC, General Mohammed Ali Jaafari, attended the meeting and his fate is unknown.

Jundullah has links to Pakistan, and so it is possible (although there’s no evidence to prove it) that the Pakistanis provided them with the intelligence in order to help stop the militants from escaping into Iran. If this is the case, then their objective has been achieved. Ledeen writes:

“All flights in and out of Sarbaz and nearby cities were canceled Sunday and Monday, and the roads are blocked.  Many local hospitals are counting the dead and treating the wounded.  One hospital, in Iranshahr, reported more than fifty fatalities.”

He reports that there was also an explosion near the Oil Ministry and a major tea factory has burnt down.