Iranians have once again taken to the streets in Tehran. But this time, instead of hearing slogans fulminating against the government, you hear people mourning the deaths of their loved ones in Sunday’s suicide attack in southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan. Here is an Al-Jazeera report on how Iranians are coping with the suicide attack that killed at least 42 people, including 15 members of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guards:
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Three Iranians have been arrested in connection to Sunday’s suicide bombing. Al Jazeera quoted a leading Iranian prosecutor as saying that the police have detained the three on suspicion of involvement in the blast that struck the heart of the country’s security forces in Sistan-Baluchestan. Mohammad Marziah, the prosecutor in Zahedan, the provincial capital, told reporters that “Due to security reasons, I am not giving the details of their names, but these terrorists are Iranians.” A Sunni group, Jundollah, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Iranian authorities have been accusing Pakistan of having links to the bombers. Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s foreign minister, said members of the group accused of mounting the attack regularly criss-cross the frontier with Pakistan. “Members of this terrorist group regularly violate the border and launch attacks inside Iran,” he said, without naming the group. “They cross into Iran illegally. They are based in Pakistan.” While Brigadier-General Mohammad Pakpour, the head of the Revolutionary Guards ground forces, stated that “So far Pakistan has not co-operated with us and today the main counter-revolutionary sanctuary is Pakistan. The terrorists are being trained in that country and Pakistani officials should have the ability to confront the elements on their own soil.” Al Jazeera reported that Major-General Muhammad Ali Jafari, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, named the prime suspect behind the bombing as Abd ul-Malik Rigi – who is believed to be based in Pakistan. Jafari said Tehran would send a delegation to Islamabad to deliver “proof to them so they know that the Islamic Republic is aware of Pakistan’s support”.
Pakistan has denied any connection to the terrorist attack.
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