US condemns 'terrorist' attacks in Iran

US condemns 'terrorist' attacks in Iran
The United States condemned "terrorist" attacks in Tehran that killed 12 people and wounded dozens on Wednesday in the first attacks in Iran by the so-called Islamic State group.

2 min read
07 June, 2017
At least 12 people were killed in the twin attacks on Wednesday [Getty]
The United States condemned "terrorist" attacks in Tehran that killed 12 people and wounded dozens on Wednesday in the first attacks on the Islamic Republic Iran by the Islamic State [IS] group.

In a brief statement published hours after the attacks, the US State Department said "the depravity of terrorism has no place in a peaceful, civilized world."

"We express our condolences to the victims and their families, and send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Iran," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Gunmen and suicide bombers, acting almost simultaneously, attacked Iran's parliament and a shrine to revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini on Wednesday.

IS said it was responsible for the twin attacks in Tehran, confirming five of its fighters were involved in the attacks. The militants used firearms, hand grenades and explosives, according to IS.

IS, an extremist self-declared Sunni group, threatened further attacks in Shia Iran "until God's law is established."

The IS statement claim was circulated on social media accounts sympathetic to the militant group.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani called for "regional and international cooperation and unity" following the deadly assaults, saying Iran would "break any plots and machinations by ill-wishers with more unity and integrity and its powerful security structure."

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards pointed the finger at the US and Saudi Arabia, who it claims were "involved" in the deadly attacks.

Vowing revenge for the coordinated attacks, the revolutionary guards said they would "never allow the blood of innocents to be spilt without revenge."

"This terrorist action, coming one week after the meeting of the president of the United States with the leader of the one of the region's reactionary governments (Saudi Arabia)... shows they are involved in this savage action," a statement said.

The deputy chief of the Guards' Intelligence Service, Mohammad Hossein Nejat, said the attackers were aged between 20 and 25 and spoke Arabic, although their nationality was not yet known.

"The US and Saudi regime had ordered their stooges to do this," he told the Fars news agency.

During a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump embraced Arab regimes and blasted Iran as the "spearhead of terrorism."

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir rejected the accusation by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, saying there is no evidence that Saudi Arabia was behind the attack and he did not know who was responsible.

Speaking in Berlin, he said he condemns terrorist attacks wherever they occurred.