Former Afghan Police Chief General Ikramuddin Saree Buried in Tehran Following Assassination

Former Afghan Police Chief Laid to Rest in Tehran

General Ikramuddin Saree, a former Afghan police chief and a vocal critic of the Taliban, was buried in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday, December 27, 2025. The burial took place in the Chahardangeh area of the Iranian capital, with a large number of Afghan migrants reportedly attending the funeral. Saree's death occurred last week in a targeted attack in central Tehran.

Assassination Details Emerge

General Saree was assassinated on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, near his residence or office in the Valiasr district, one of Tehran's busiest neighborhoods. He was reportedly shot by unknown assailants, with some reports indicating the attackers were on motorcycles. Saree was critically wounded and died while being transferred to a hospital. One of his companions was also killed in the attack, and another was wounded.

Iranian authorities have not yet publicly released details of any investigation, and no individual or group has officially claimed responsibility for the killing. However, Iranian police have reportedly confirmed the assassination and are investigating it as a 'targeted killing.'

A Life in Service and Exile

General Ikramuddin Saree previously served as police chief in Afghanistan's Baghlan and Takhar provinces under the former Afghan government. He was known as a senior security official and a strong, outspoken critic of the Taliban. Following the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, Saree sought refuge in Iran, like many other former Afghan military personnel. In Iran, he remained in contact with former Afghan security officials and advocated for ex-servicemen, opposing deportations and openly criticizing Taliban policies, particularly their treatment of former security forces.

Reports had also indicated that Iranian police had detained and questioned him in late 2024 before his release, though no formal charges were disclosed.

Reactions and Growing Concerns

The assassination has drawn strong condemnation from Afghan political circles and opposition movements, including the National Resistance Front (NRF), the Freedom Front, and Jamiat-e Islami. These groups have described the killing as an 'act of terror' and have accused the Taliban of responsibility, suggesting it is part of a broader campaign to eliminate former Afghan security personnel abroad. Mohammad Alam Izadyar, a former deputy speaker of Afghanistan's upper house of parliament, stated that the killing has 'raised alarm among former Afghan military officials living abroad' and that 'The Taliban are pursuing a systematic campaign to physically eliminate former security figures, including those outside Afghanistan.'

Iranian media outlets have also weighed in, with the reformist daily Jomhouri Eslami describing the assassination as a 'complex security conspiracy' and questioning Iran's policy towards the Taliban. The newspaper urged Iranian security agencies to respond decisively and prevent Taliban influence inside Iran. This incident marks at least the second, and possibly third, assassination of an anti-Taliban figure in Iran in recent months, following the killing of Maroof Ghulami in Mashhad earlier this year, further intensifying concerns for the safety of exiled Afghan officials.