ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attacks In Tehran
[guest post by Dana]
It’s being reported this morning that ISIS has made its first major attack on Iran:
Iran’s revolutionary guard lashed out at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, hours after 12 people were killed and 42 others were wounded in devastating attacks on two potent symbols in Tehran, the capital: Iran’s Parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The Islamic State immediately said it was behind the attacks, the first time that the Sunni Muslim extremist group has claimed responsibility for an assault in Iran, which is predominantly Shiite Muslim. The group, which views Shiite Muslims as apostates, is battling with Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and in Syria.
Tensions in the Middle East were already high; after a visit by President Trump, Saudi Arabia and several Sunni allies led a regional effort on Monday to isolate Qatar, the one Persian Gulf country that maintains relations with Iran.
In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps faulted both Saudi Arabia and the United States government: “The public opinion of the world, especially Iran, recognizes this terrorist attack — which took place a week after a joint meeting of the U.S. president and the head of one of the region’s backward governments, which constantly supports fundamentalist terrorists — as very significant,” clearly referring to Saudi Arabia. The statement also acknowledged the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility.
Of the 12 victims of the attacks, 11 died at the Parliament building, and one at the mausoleum. In addition, six assailants were killed: four at the Parliament, and two at the mausoleum. Five were men, and one of the mausoleum attackers was a woman.
(On a side note, it is expected that Iran would blame President Trump for the attack, and from reading the entire report, it appears the NYT is eager to push that belief along as well. This even as Iran chants death to America.)
Also, as a result of the attack, Senate Democrats are asking that today’s vote to impose sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and extend terrorism sanctions involving the IRGC be postponed because it would be the kind thing to do:
“Instead of rubbing salt into a wound, just to say let’s wait a few days and consider what to do,” Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said Wednesday the Senate floor. “If we were in their shoes, I think we would appreciate that gesture.”
“If we were in [Iran’s] shoes, I think the idea of them sort of taking this kind of action or step against us on a day that we’ve been attacked by ISIS would not be well received,” Carper said.
To this lay person, generosity toward Iran seems a bit mind-boggling when one considers it’s Iran we’re talking about. Especially as they are not only chanting their standard refrain of “Death to America,” but are also vowing revenge for the attack, according to Saeed Ghasseminejad’s translation of a statement made by Deputy commander of IRGC intelligence Hossein Nejat’s:
“The Saudis & US had ordered terrorist operation in Tehran” & “IRGC would take revenge on terrorists & those who gave them the order.”
–Dana
Here we go.
Dana (023079) — 6/7/2017 @ 11:44 amConsidering how Iran’s condolences were so meaningful after 9/11, imposing harsh sanctions is the least we can do.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 6/7/2017 @ 11:47 amHere’s an idea: send more weapons to the Middle East.
“Shah! Shah! Ayatollah so!” – Robin Williams
DCSCA (797bc0) — 6/7/2017 @ 12:42 pmBernie too:
Dana (8a96e4) — 6/7/2017 @ 12:42 pmIts,fine recall that free beacon piece where the sepah actually hacked the us delegation
narciso (c1c566) — 6/7/2017 @ 12:49 pmHmmm, very strange. I’m having paranoid thoughts, stop me! Suddenly we are friends with Iran and stand ready to fend off their Shia enemies?
Perhaps all their Euro soldiers tired or something. How did they get in to such a repressive country anyway?
Patricia (5fc097) — 6/7/2017 @ 1:50 pmIran has been one of the countries not attacked by terrorists till now.
Also China.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 6/7/2017 @ 2:36 pmWell, they attack Russia, which is kinda stupid if they’re afraid of brutal reprisals.
Kevin M (752a26) — 6/7/2017 @ 2:48 pmNote to self: do not travel to Mozambique… http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40185359
Colonel Haiku (b6b19d) — 6/7/2017 @ 2:59 pmwhy are US senators so relentlessly vile and stupid
happyfeet (28a91b) — 6/7/2017 @ 3:48 pmWhy, exactly, is this a bad thing? If the Sunnis and Shiites are focused on killing each other that is so much less attention they can put toward killing everyone else.
As I understand things many of the existing countries of the Middle East were created after the fall of the Ottoman Empire with just such thoughts in mind. That is, groups with long-standing enmity were lumped together and told “Hey, you’re a country now!”
Soronel Haetir (86a46e) — 6/7/2017 @ 4:57 pmA) If we don’t carry on as normal the terrorists will have won.
B) Now is the time for the hateful, bigoted, racist Islamophobes in charge of Iran to reflect upon what they did to bring this on themselves.
C) According to Mayor Sadiq Khan of London this is just the price you pay for living in the neighborhood.
So now is the perfect time to levy sanctions.
Steve57 (0b1dac) — 6/8/2017 @ 4:15 amDon’t get me started on comic khan who had one one the 7/7 trainers at the memorial.
narciso (290bbd) — 6/8/2017 @ 4:42 am