Database: Identifiers of Designated Islamic Terrorist Organizations

Jundallah (Iran)

Designated as terrorist by: United States

Base of operations: Iran

Background: U.S. Department of State
Background: BBC News

Jundallah ("Soldiers of Allah") is an extremist organization that emerged a decade ago in Iran's Sistan va Balochistan province. Also known as the People's Resistance Movement, Jundallah has carried out a wave of attacks, from suicide bombings to assassinations, against both Iranian civilian and government targets under the rubric of defending the rights of the Baluchi ethnic minority in southeastern Iran. However, there is a strong sectarian element to the campaign because the Baluchis are Sunnis at odds with the Iranian Shiite state. To this end, Jundallah has conducted a number of deadly bombings of Shiite mosques, including the Grand Mosque in Zahedan, killing around 30 in 2010. According to BBC News, "Although Jundallah has recently adopted the jihadi tactic of suicide bombings, it seems more accurate to characterize it [as] a nationalist group with local grievances than part of Bin Laden's global jihad."

Jundallah Emblem