Basij commander and security officer killed in Iran

Two separate armed attacks in Mehrstan, located in southeastern Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province, resulted in the deaths of a Basij paramilitary official and a security force member, along with three injuries. Afsaneh Aqila, who served as the commander of the women's Basij unit in Mehrstan, was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen outside her residence. In a separate incident, a vehicle carrying security personnel was targeted by gunmen within the city, leading to the death of First Lieutenant Mohammad Ali Shahriari and leaving three others wounded, following a clash that prompted the attackers to flee the scene. Iranian media outlets attributed these armed assaults to militant groups linked to the United States and Israel, though no independent evidence was provided to substantiate these claims. These violent incidents occur amid escalating security tensions and armed confrontations in Sistan and Baluchestan province over recent days, which have experienced multiple attacks resulting in casualties among military and security forces.