Nine people were killed in a violent attack on a courthouse in southeastern Iran on Saturday, with authorities blaming the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl for the assault.

The attack took place in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, a region near the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan that has seen frequent clashes between security forces and armed groups.

According to state media, assailants attempted to enter the courthouse disguised as visitors before launching their assault. They threw a grenade into the building and opened fire, killing at least six civilians—including a mother and child—and injuring more than a dozen others. Three attackers were also killed in subsequent clashes with security forces.

Deputy police commander Alireza Daliri confirmed the attackers' failed attempt to breach the building, while the Baluch human rights group HAALVSH reported that judiciary staff and security personnel were among the casualties.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency attributed the attack to Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), a Sunni militant group primarily composed of ethnic Baloch fighters. The group, which emerged in 2012, has been demanding greater rights and autonomy for Iran’s Baloch minority.

In a statement on Telegram, Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the assault and warned civilians to avoid the area. The group has a history of targeting Iranian security forces, including a January 2024 attack that killed three Revolutionary Guards officials.

Sistan-Baluchistan is one of Iran’s poorest and least developed regions. The predominantly Sunni Baloch minority has long accused the Shiite-majority government of economic marginalization and political exclusion. Similar grievances have fueled an armed insurgency in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, where groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) operate.

Iranian authorities accuse Jaish al-Adl of having foreign backing and involvement in cross-border smuggling and insurgency. The group’s attacks have intensified in recent months, including coordinated assaults on military and police facilities in Chabahar, Rask, and Sarbaz earlier this year.

Iran’s judiciary labeled the courthouse attack as "terrorist", vowing a strong response. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in the volatile border region, where militant groups continue to exploit ethnic and sectarian tensions.