The government accuse Jundullah of attempting to separate the predominantly Sunni province from Iran.
The Sunni Jundullah group has proclaimed its responsibility over the recent deadly attack of Oct. 18 that killed 42 people in Southeastern Iran, including at least 15 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The attack reveals the deep tensions between Iran and it Sunni minority of the Baluchis.
What are the reasons behind Iran's suicide bombing?
The Iranian government accused the Pakistan-based group Jundullah of carrying out the Oct. 18 explosion. Iranian officials claim that the radical Baluchi group, which carried out the attack on a conference on the unity of Shiites and Sunnis in Iran, is supported by the United States and Britain.
The Iranian government believe that the group has a separatist agenda; however, many analysts attribute the series of attacks carried out by the group in recent years to the grievances of the Sunni Baluchi minority, which is concentrated in south-east Iran.
Who is the Jundullah group?
The group, which is also known as the People's Resistance Movement, is dedicated to defending the rights of the Baluchi minority of the Sistan-Baluchistan province. Since 2005, the militant group has been accused of undertaking deadly attacks on government officials and military personnel. Jundullah is believed to have 1,000 fighters.
According to a number of international human rights organizations, Iran's two million Baluchis are subject to economic and cultural discrimination. The remoteness and lawlessness of the region of south-east Iran has encouraged smuggling of various goods, including drugs.
The government accuses Jundullah, which was established in 2002, of attempting to separate the poor, predominantly Sunni province from Iran. Yet, in an interview in October 2008, the leader of the group, Abdolmalek Rigi, argued that they merely wanted the government to respect their rights and culture.
Beside being ethnically distinctive, Baluchis are also predominantly Sunni, which complicates the situation further.
Jundullah's elements are mainly based in Pakistan inside the Balochistan province
Who is the leader of Jundullah, and where is the group located?
The group's leader is Abdulmalek Rigi, who is also known as Emir Abdul Malik Bluch.
Jundullah's elements are mainly based in Pakistan inside the Balochistan province, and are very active on the boarders between Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
What are the tactics they use?
Jundullah usually kidnap and execute Iranian soldiers and border guards. The group has also launched a series of suicide bomb attacks, and involved in attacks on police stations and car bombings. It claims it has killed 400 Iranian soldiers.
Who supports Jundullah?
Iranian top officials accuse the Uinted States, UK and some Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia of providing financial and logistic support to Jundullah.
Analysts believe that Jundullah is a proxy terror group founded and trained by the CIA and is being used to destabilize the Iranian government. The Jundullah leader Abdul Malik Rigi's brother, who was arrested in Pakistan, confessed meeting CIA officials in Islamabad. However, the USA denied such accusations.
Will the attack affect the Pakistani-Iranian relations?
There are strong economic ties between Iran and Pakistan, especially after both sides had signed a recent strategic gas pipeline project. In the past, Pakistan arrested and handed over Abdel Hamid rigi, Jundullah leader's brother, to Iran. However, Iran still pressures the Pakistani authorities for taking more decisive measures against Jundullah.
Was ther any international response?
Both the United States and UN condemned the attack. Furthermore, the United States is considering listing Jundullah as a terrorist group, while Russia offered cooperation with Iran in fighting terrorism.
What are Iran's major minority groups?
The Iranian government usually blame external players for its ethnic unrest.
The Iranian society is characterized by diversity, given the different ethnic and religious backgrounds of its members. The main ethnic groups in Iran, according to the World Factbook, are: Persians (51 percent), Azeris (24 percent), Gilaki and Mazandarani (8 percent), Kurds (7 percent), and Arabs (3 percent).
The remaining 7 percent consists of Baluchis, Lurs, Turkmens, Qashqai, Armenians, Persian Jews, Georgians, Assyrians, Circassians, Tats, Pashtuns, and others.
While 89 percent of the population are Shiite Muslims, only 9 percent are Sunnis.
The Sunni minority in Iran has been a constant source of instability, given their alleged calls for autonomy and foreign links.
Who are the Baluchis of Iran?
Baluchis are an ethnic minority of Sunni Muslims living in Iran across the border with Pakistan. Similar to Kurds, they are a nation without a state. The Baluchis complain of discrimination by Iranian authorities.
Is Iran's ethnic unrest being manipulated by foreign powers?
There are mixed accounts about the foreign links of Iran's minorities. The Iranian government usually blame external players for its ethnic unrest; however, groups like Jundullah deny having any foreign links.
The list of powers alleged to be fuelling ethnic violence inside Iran includes the United States, Britain, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. The latest attack has also raised questions about the role of militant groups, such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda, in supporting separatist movements in south-east Iran.
According to some observers, today both the Iranian opposition and international powers are trying to capitalize on the post-election instability.
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