Iranian state television broadcast footage of the terrorist attack that left 15 people dead and 40 injured at a Shia Muslim shrine in the south of the country on Wednesday.
Two children are among the fatalities.
The attack was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, with the Iranian president blaming the jihadist movement as an “enemy” of the country.
Ebrahim Raisi said the intent of Iran’s enemies is “to hinder the country’s progress”, so the riots and clashes are paving the way for terrorist acts.
“[Os terroristas] came to Shahcheragh shrine and opened fire on innocent people who were in their prayers,” he added.
As early as Wednesday, Raisi had “the enemies of Iran”, who are trying to “unify the nation’s ranks”. […] by violence and terror”, and promised a stern response from the security forces.
The attacker, “in his thirties”, according to local authorities, “is associated with Takfiri groups and has been detained,” Iran’s state television said, referring to jihadist groups or Sunni Islamist radicals.
The IS group has claimed responsibility for attacks in Iran since June 7, 2017, when gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the parliament and mausoleum of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran, killing 17 people.
Iran has been rocked by protests since the young Iranian Kurd died on September 16, three days after she was detained in Tehran by so-called customs police, who accused her of violating strict dress codes, including wearing the veil in public.
The attack in Shiraz was the second deadly attack this year on a Shia place of worship in Iran, a country of some 83 million where Shia Islam has been the state religion since the 16th century.
Source: DN
