Key facts
- Baluch armed groups are increasingly coordinating attacks against Iranian security forces.
- The province of Sistan-Baluchistan borders Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Jaish al-Adl, a Baluch separatist group, is considered the most potent armed group fighting Tehran.
- Iranian officials fear adversaries may exploit ethnic and political grievances to open new internal fronts.
- Baluch minority, largely Sunni Muslims, face discrimination in Shi'a-majority Iran.
Iran's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan has experienced a significant escalation in violence, with Baluch armed groups and Iranian security forces engaging in near-daily clashes. Experts suggest that separatist groups and Islamist militants, representing the marginalized ethnic Baluch minority, are increasingly coordinating their actions against the state. This insurgency adds to Iran's existing security challenges amid international pressure. The province's strategic location bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, and its possession of the Chabahar port, make it particularly sensitive. The Baluch minority, predominantly Sunni Muslims in Shi'a-majority Iran, has long faced discrimination, contributing to deep dissatisfaction.