- Iran blames ISIL for a deadly attack on a major shrine in
Shiraz. - The Iranian government recently executed two terrorists for
the first attack, which took place a year ago. - Multiple ‘foreign’ individuals have been arrested for
allegedly working with the terrorist group.
Iran has blamed the ISIL (ISIS) armed group for the second
attack in less than a year on a major shrine in southern Shiraz and arrested a
group of foreign nationals for the assault.
“The motivation of this Daeshi [ISIL-affliated]
individual was to take revenge for the executions of the two terrorists of the
previous incident,” said the governor of the province of Fars, where the
shooting occurred.
Iranian state-linked media also pointed out that ISIS-K, the
Khorasan province affiliate of the Islamic State, had last month appeared to
threaten Iran for the execution of two of its operatives.
Speaking on Monday, Ramezan Sharif, the spokesperson of the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said: “The goals of Daesh [ISIL]
and other terrorists against the national interests and people of Iran are
intertwined,” and vowed that “we will give a decisive response to the
terrorists”.
A lone gunman, identified as Rahmatollah Nowruzof from Tajikistan, entered the Shah Cherag Shrine on Sunday evening and opened fire on pilgrims and staff, killing one and injuring several others. Earlier reports had suggested two shooters were involved.
Several people were taken to the hospital in critical condition, with at least one person falling into a coma, state-linked media have reported.
The shrine, one of the holiest in Shia Islam, was also
breached on 26 October 2022, when a gunman entered the compound with an assault
rifle, killing 13 and injuring 40 before being shot dead.
For that attack, which Iranian officials also called a
“terrorist” operation, two men from neighbouring Afghanistan were
convicted of being ISIL agents and executed in early June.
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Three more men were also tried and given prison sentences
ranging from five to 25 years for working with the armed group, which claimed
responsibility for the attack, and was also responsible for coordinated attacks
in Tehran in 2017.
Sunday’s shooter was apprehended at the scene by members of
the shrine’s staff and security personnel.
The semi-official Tasnim News Agency on Monday quoted Fars
province chief justice Kazem Mousavi as saying 10 people have so far been
arrested on suspicion of being involved in the shooting, all of whom were
foreign nationals.
“The safe house of the terrorists has also been
discovered,” he said without elaborating.
After travelling to the shrine on Monday, Interior Minister
Ahmad Vahidi said the assailant was being directed from abroad “as part of
a network”.
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