Probe Into Assassinations Of Taliban Opponents Is Ongoing, Says Iran
Esmail Baghaei said investigations are continuing into the assassination of two former Afghan military personnel in Tehran, speaking publicly five days after the killings.
Esmail Baghaei said investigations are continuing into the assassination of two former Afghan military personnel in Tehran, speaking publicly five days after the killings.
At a press conference on Monday, Baghaei said Iran’s security agencies are investigating the deaths of Ikramuddin Sari and Mohammad Amin Almas, two Afghan citizens who were shot dead on Wednesday evening, December 24, in Tehran’s Vali-e Asr neighbourhood.
Without naming the victims or referring to their military backgrounds, Baghaei said: “The security of our own citizens and the security of anyone living in Iran, whether as a refugee, a traveller, or under any other status, is extremely important to us.”
He said Iran would respond decisively to any act that endangers public security. “Under no circumstances will we allow the security of society and of those living in our country to be undermined,” Baghaei said, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. He condemned the attack and added: “The diplomatic apparatus will intervene in this matter whenever necessary.”
The relatively prolonged silence of Iranian officials following the second assassination of former Afghan military personnel on Iranian soil had drawn criticism.
The killings came about four months after another former Afghan military commander close to Ismail Khan, identified as Marouf Gholami, was assassinated in Mashhad.
Iran maintains close relations with the Taliban. Officials from both sides regularly travel between the two countries, and Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions in Iran are under Taliban control.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, Taliban opposition groups have accused the Taliban of being behind the killings.
Earlier, Tehran Governor Hossein Khosh-Eghbal said the results of the investigation would be announced by Sunday. As of Monday, Iranian authorities had yet to release any findings.
