Iran arrests 26 foreigners over deadly shrine attack
Tehran, Nov 7 (EFE).- Iranian authorities reported the arrest of 26 foreign nationals on Monday over their alleged involvement in an October attack on a shrine in the city of Shiraz that left 15 dead.
Iran’s intelligence ministry has confirmed that 26 foreigners from Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan have been arrested over their involvement in the shooting attack on October 26 at a shrine in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, the Mehr Iranian news outlet reported.
According to the intelligence report, the alleged mastermind of the attack is Azerbaijani and “flew from Baku to Tehran” where he contacted Islamic State (IS) sources to orchestrate the shooting attack on the Shahcheragh shrine.
The attacker, who opened fire on worshipers at the shrine, was identified as a Tajik national. The shooter died in hospital from injuries he sustained during his arrest.
The 26 alleged terrorists were apprehended in six Iranian provinces, as some of them were trying to escape the country, according to Iranian officials.
Allegations the “coordinator” of the attack is from Azerbaijan came amid brewing tensions between Baku and Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s proximity to Israel, and in particular military ties between Baku and Jerusalem, have spiked tensions between both nations in the South Caucasus.
Millions -between 16 and 23 million Azeris- of Azerbaijani Turks inhabit northern Iran, and Tehran fears the emergence of a separatist movement in the region.
At least 15 people were killed and 40 wounded in the shooting attack on Shiraz’s Shahcheragh shrine on October 26, an assault that was claimed by IS.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said a day later that protests sparked by Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody in September had “paved the way” for the attack on the religious center.
A wave of protests have swept across Iran since Amini was arrested by the morality police for not wearing her veil correctly. The young woman died on September 16.
Protests are mainly led by young people and women under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom!”
Slogans targeting the regime and the burning of veils, one of the symbols of the Islamic Republic, have become commonplace at demonstrations, something which was unthinkable until recently.
Iranian authorities have accused the US of backing and boosting the protests with the support of Israel and Saudi Arabia.EFE
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