Senior IRGC commander killed in clash with gunmen near Iran-Pakistan border – report

Brig.-Gen. Hossein Zarifi, a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, was killed on Wednesday during clashes with gunmen in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province, near the border with Pakistan. Zarifi, commander of the IRGC's Shahid Sajjad Operational Headquarters in Saravan, died during an operation by a joint force of the IRGC, Intelligence Ministry, and police against an armed cell believed to be planning an attack. Five members of the cell were killed and others arrested. The identity and affiliation of the gunmen, described by Iranian authorities as "terrorists," remain unclear, and no group has claimed responsibility. The IRGC confirmed Zarifi's death, stating he was killed "while taking part in the operation alongside his forces." This incident follows other recent security operations in the province, a region with a majority Sunni population and a history of militant attacks.