Iran rebel leader ready for talks with govt

A bearded Rigi was shown sitting against a mountainous backdrop surrounded by masked and armed militants. A young boy appeared next to him for part of the interview.

On June 12, the group captured 16 Iranian border guards at a checkpoint in the town of Saravan before taking them across the border into Pakistan.

The group has since announced executing four of them. The group has threatened to execute the remaining guards unless Iran heeds its demands for the release of 200 of its fighters.

In February last year the group claimed a car bombing in the Sistan-Baluchestan provincial capital of Zahedan in which 11 elite Revolutionary Guards were killed and 31 wounded.