Iran sees US hand in parade attack

Iran summons Dutch, Dane, UK envoys

IRAN TARGETS US allies in Persian Gulf such as Saudi Arabia, UAE or Bahrain.

SUMMONS UK, Denmark and the Netherlands diplomats for harbouring ‘ terrorists’

Teheran, Sept. 23: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that an unnamed US- allied country in the Persian Gulf was behind an attack on a military parade that killed 25 people and wounded nearly 70.

Rouhani did not identify those behind Saturday’s attack, which was claimed by an Arab separatist group. He could have been referring to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain - close US military allies that view Iran as a regional menace over its support for militant groups across the Middle East.

Tehran also summoned diplomats from Denmark, the Netherlands and Britain for allegedly hosting members of the group suspected of links to Saturday's attack.

“All of those small mercenary countries that we see in this region are backed by America. It is Americans who instigate them and provide them with necessary means to commit these crimes,” Rouhani said.

Saturday’s attack, in which militants disguised as soldiers opened fire on an annual Iranian military parade in Ahvaz, in the oilrich southwest, was the deadliest attack in the country in nearly a decade. Women and children scattered along with oncemarching Revolu- tionary Guard soldiers as heavy gunfire rang out, the chaos captured live on state television.

The region’s Arab separatists, once only known for nighttime attacks on unguarded oil pipelines, claimed responsibility for the assault.