Mavlavi Mohammad Anwar Rigi, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Mirjaveh, a city near the Pakistani border in southeastern Iran, has been killed in an armed attack.
Reuters reports that the incident occurred on July 20. It was reported that the cleric was killed by unidentified gunmen. No official information has been released regarding the motive for the attack or the perpetrators, and no group has claimed responsibility.
The killing took place in Sistan and Baluchestan province, considered one of Iran's most sensitive security regions. This province, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, is one of the country's poorest regions and is primarily inhabited by the Sunni Baluch population.
Sistan and Baluchestan province has long been known as a region where armed clashes occur between security forces and Islamist or ethnic armed groups. For this reason, attacks against government representatives, security forces, and individuals associated with the Tehran authorities are recorded periodically.
The killing of Mavlavi Mohammad Anwar Rigi is being assessed as the latest manifestation of the ongoing security problems in the region.
Iranian officials have stated that an investigation into the incident has been launched.