The Borneo Post (Sabah)

Rouhani blames US, Israel for attack on Revolution­ary Guards

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DUBAI: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and its regional allies yesterday for a suicide bombing in southeaste­rn Iran that killed 27 members of the country’s elite Revolution­ary Guards, Iranian state TV reported.

The force said on Wednesday a suicide bomber driving a vehicle laden with explosives had attacked a bus transporti­ng members of the Guards in the province of SistanBalu­chestan.

A militant Sunni Muslim group, Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, has claimed responsibi­lity for the attack, Iranian media have reported.

“The crime will remain as a ‘dirty stain’ in the black record of the main supporters of terrorism in the White House, Tel Aviv and their regional agents,” Rouhani said.

Apart from Israel, Rouhani did not name the regional states he believed were to blame.

Mainly Shi’ite Muslim Iran does not recognise Israel, which is a key US ally in the region and sees Tehran as posing an existentia­l threat to its existence.

In the past, Tehran has accused its main regional rival Saudi Arabia of backing Sunni militia groups who have carried out bloody attacks against Iranian security forces. Riyadh has denied the charges. Repeating warnings made by senior commanders of the Guards, Rouhani said Iran was determined to bring justice to those responsibl­e for one of the worst assaults ever against the Revolution­ary Guards in years.

The assault, which wounded at least 13 people, took place in the province of Sistan-Baluchesta­n, which has a large, mainly Sunni Muslim, ethnic Baluchi community, which straddles the border with Pakistan.

Jaish al Adl has carried out attacks against the border guards from Pakistan since its founding in 2012.

Iran has called on neighbouri­ng countries to crack down on separatist groups. — Reuters

 ??  ?? A handout picture released by the Iranian news agency Fars News shows a bus that was reportedly blown up by a suicide attack in southeaste­rn Iran. — AFP photo
A handout picture released by the Iranian news agency Fars News shows a bus that was reportedly blown up by a suicide attack in southeaste­rn Iran. — AFP photo

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