Iran police commander assassination as Mahmoud Haqiqat is killed in Iranshahr, highlighting escalating violence and political tensions in southeastern Iran

Mahmoud Haqiqat, commander of the Iranshahr police station and former head of the city’s Intelligence Office, was assassinated on Wednesday in a targeted attack in the southeastern Iranian city of Iranshahr, according to local security sources and state media.

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Mahmoud Haqiqat, a senior figure in Iran’s internal security apparatus, was shot at close range while travelling through the city centre, officials said.

The assailant or assailants fled the scene immediately, and no group has formally claimed responsibility.

The killing of Mahmoud Haqiqat marks one of the most high-profile attacks on a security official in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province in recent years and underscores the volatile security situation in the region.

Sistan and Baluchistan, home to Iran’s Baluch minority, has long been a focal point of tension between the central government and local communities.

Mahmoud Haqiqat previously oversaw intelligence operations targeting Baluch activists and was widely regarded as a key architect of the city’s crackdown on anti-regime activity.

Human rights organisations have accused Iranian authorities of systematic repression in the province, including mass arrests, enforced disappearances and the use of lethal force against protesters.

Iranian officials condemned the assassination and described it as a terrorist act intended to destabilise the country.

The Interior Ministry said a full investigation was under way and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

State media did not release details about the attackers or the precise circumstances of the shooting, but security forces were seen establishing checkpoints across Iranshahr within hours of the attack.

The assassination has sent shockwaves through Iran’s security establishment and is likely to intensify scrutiny of the government’s strategy in managing unrest in its peripheral regions.

Analysts say the killing highlights the fragile balance between state control and local resistance in southeastern Iran and may prompt a tougher security response in the coming weeks.

Despite official reassurances, residents in Iranshahr reported a heavy security presence and heightened tensions following the shooting, with shops closing early and streets falling unusually quiet.

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The Iran police commander assassination comes amid broader unrest across the country, where economic hardship, political repression and ethnic grievances continue to fuel simmering discontent.