TEHRAN – Iran’s intelligence forces have arrested 8 individuals responsible for a June 28 attack on election ballot boxes in the Southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan, the province’s intelligence department announced. 

The attack, which targeted a vehicle transporting ballot boxes in the Jakigoor rural district of Rask County during the first round of Iran’s recent presidential elections, resulted in the death of two soldiers and injury of several others. 

“In response to the heinous act, intelligence forces swiftly launched a thorough investigation to identify and neutralize the perpetrators, both within the country and beyond its borders,” The intelligence ministry’s Sistan and Balouchestan branch announced in a statement. 

“After a series of meticulous operations conducted across various locations and terrorist hideouts in the province, a decisive final stage culminated in the apprehension of all eight members of the terrorist cell, including both operational and support personnel. Additionally, authorities uncovered caches of weapons, grenades, handheld radios, and substantial quantities of explosives during the operation,” the statement said, adding that the terrorists were arrested at around 4 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) on July 5, hours before voting was set to commence for the second round of the presidential elections. 

The statement also revealed that the captured terrorists were being directed from a neighboring country. “They were preparing to carry out full-blown acts of terror in the days following Iran’s presidential election.”

While intelligence forces have not specified which foreign country the terrorists were receiving instructions from, analysts have pointed the finger of blame at terror outfits based in Pakistan, which have targeted people living southeast of Iran multiple times in the past. 

Tehran has been strengthening its collaboration with Islamabad to tackle the security challenges posed by terrorists located in Pakistan. Additionally, it has initiated the construction of a barrier along its eastern borders.