Iran vows revenge on ‘mercenaries’ behind bombing
The UN Security Council and the European Union on Thursday condemned a suicide bombing which killed 27 troops and wounded 13 others in southeastern Iran.
In a statement, the members of the council called the terrorist attack “heinous and cowardly” and expressed their sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Iranian government.
The council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice, and urged all states to cooperate with the Iranian government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.
“Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomever committed,” they said, reaffirming the need for all states to combat threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.
The European Union condemned the attack, saying, “There can be no justification for such an outrageous act of terror,” and expressing condolences to the families of the victims.
The bombing, which targeted a busload of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps personnel in Sistan-baluchistan Province on Wednesday, was one of the deadliest attacks on Iranian security forces in years.
The troops killed were aged from 21 to 52 and belonged to the IRGC’S 14th Imam Hussein Division.
The bomber struck as they were returning from a patrol mission on the border with Pakistan, where Baluchi separatist and jihadist groups have rear bases, the IRGC said in a statement.
The attack was claimed by the so-called Jaish al-adl (Army of Justice), which is blacklisted as a terrorist group by Iran. The organization was formed in 2012 as a successor to the terrorist group Jundallah (Soldiers of God), which waged a deadly insurgency for a decade before being severely weakened by the capture and execution of its ringleader Abdolmalek Rigi by Iran in 2010.
It came just days after Iran held more than a week of celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Us-backed shah.
Lebanon’s Shia movement Hezbollah also denounced the attack, saying it was in retaliation for “the Iranian nation’s huge turnout in rallies” marking the anniversary.
“The takfiri and terrorist gangs behind this horrific suicide attack were nurtured, financed and supported by the US, Israel and their regional allies,” Hezbollah said.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the attack’s perpetrators were certainly linked to “the spying agencies of some regional and trans-regional countries.”
In a message, Ayatollah Khamenei offered condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and called on the IRGC and relevant government institutions to swiftly and seriously follow up on the incident and deal with the perpetrators.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry in a statement on Thursday strongly condemned a terrorist attack in India’s city of Srinagar that killed at least 40 people.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi offered condolences to the Indian government and nation and the families of victims of the terrorist attack, according to the Foreign Ministry’s official website.
“As a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has taken major and effective steps to root out terrorist groups in the West Asia region and has paid heavy costs and is resolved to keep up this path with strong determination, we believe using such bloody and inhumane methods by any group, with any motive, and under any name is unacceptable,” the spokesman underlined.
At least 40 paramilitary troops were killed on Thursday as explosives packed in a van ripped through a convoy which was bringing 2,500 troopers back from leave, not far from the main city Srinagar, police said.
The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-mohammad group said it was behind the attack.
On Friday, New Delhi accused Islamabad of harboring militants behind one of the deadliest attacks in three decades of bloodshed in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947, with both nucleararmed countries, which have fought three wars, claiming it as their own.
Jaish-e-mohammed is largely considered to be one of the most active Pakistan-backed terrorist groups fighting in Kashmir.
India’s Foreign Ministry said that the head of Jaish-e-mohammed, Masood Azhar, “has been given full freedom by Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity.”
“I want to tell the terrorist groups and their masters that they have committed a big mistake. They have to pay a heavy price,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday after an emergency cabinet meeting.
Islamabad, however, hit back at the suggestion.
“We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.
Revenge on ‘mercenaries’
President Hassan Rouhani vowed revenge against the “mercenary group” behind the suicide bombing and accused the US and Israel of supporting terrorism.
“We will certainly make this mercenary group pay for the blood of our martyrs,” said the president. “The main root of terrorism in the region is America and Zionists, and some oil-producing countries in the region also financially support the terrorists.”
Rouhani called on Iran’s neighbors to assume their “legal responsibilities” and not allow “terrorists” to use their soil to prepare attacks.“if this continues and they cannot stop the terrorists, it is clear – based on international law – that we have certain rights and will act upon them in due time,” he said, without elaborating. The attack came on the same day as the United States gathered some 60 countries in Poland for a conference on the Middle East and Iran. Iran linked the attack to the Warsaw conference. Dubbing the meeting the “Warsaw Circus,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was “no coincidence that Iran is hit by terror on the very day” that the talks began in the Polish capital.
“Especially when cohorts of same terrorists cheer it from Warsaw streets & support it with twitter bots? US seems to always make the same wrong choices, but expect different results,” Zarif wrote on Twitter.
Sistan-baluchistan has been hit by previous deadly attacks in recent months.
Xinhua, AFP and Press TV contributed to this story.