TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that the terrorists behind the Chabahar suicide attack and their masters will definitely face punishment.

In the terrorist attack on the police station on Thursday morning two policemen were martyred. At least 43 individuals were also injured during the attack, 10 of whom were police forces and others were ordinary people. Women and children were also among the injured.

“Foreign-backed terrorists kill & wound innocents in Chabahar. As we’ve made clear in the past, such crimes won’t go unpunished: In 2010, our security services intercepted & captured extremists en route from UAE. Mark my words: Iran WILL bring terrorists & their masters to justice,” Zarif tweeted after the attack.

The attack took place at 9:55 local time. 

Rahmdel Bameri, governor of Sistan-Baluchestan province, said a bomb-filled vehicle was used to target the police station by the suicide attacker.

"Police stopped the explosive-laden car and started firing at the driver ... who then set off the explosion near the police headquarters in Chabahar," Bameri explained.

According to Al-Jazeera, the SITE Intelligence Group reported that Ansar al-Furqan claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of IRGC Ground Force, called the terrorist operation “blind” which bore no results for its perpetrators.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi also said that “death-seekers” will be punished soon.

“Terrorists who have been grown by certain regional countries and centers of spreading violence and extremism has taken inhuman and devil action in the Chabahar economic region to harm the economic development in the country’s southeastern borders,” he said.

The attack came after gunmen in September opened fire on a military parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, killing 25 people, including children and women. 

The southeastern port city of Chabahar is Sistan-Baluchestan province is located near the border with Pakistan. The city hosts the operation of a joint port project between Iran and India by the Gulf of Oman.

Chabahar Port, which is being developed with funding from India, has been described as India's "golden gateway" that will help boost trade links to land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The Indian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, calling a "despicable terrorist” act.

"The perpetrators behind this dastardly attack should be brought to justice expeditiously. There can be no justification for any act of terror,” India said.

NA/MH/PA