Iran officials blame regional rivals in the Persian Gulf for the Sept. 22 terror attack in the western Iranian city of Ahvaz that killed 29 people, and allege that the sponsors enjoy support of the United States and Israel.
Al-Jazeera reports on how Iranian intelligence officials are responding.
“I am telling the regime of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, who are the main perpetrators behind the sinister actions in our country and wish to bring insecurity into our territories, that you will not succeed in your attempts,” said Deputy Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the second-in-command of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed “terrorists recruited, trained, armed and paid by a foreign regime” for the attack.
Terrorists recruited, trained, armed & paid by a foreign regime have attacked Ahvaz. Children and journos among casualties. Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their US masters accountable for such attacks. Iran will respond swiftly and decisively in defense of Iranian lives. pic.twitter.com/WG1J1wgVD9
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 22, 2018
Mohammad Hashemi, a Tehran-based journalist, noted Iran has experience dealing with similar “blind terrorism” attacks in the 1980s and wouldn’t rush into any response.
“Iran clearly understands the reasons behind such actions at this time, in view of growing pressure from the US and its allies against the Islamic Republic,” Hashemi told Al Jazeera.
“However, Iran has never taken a hurried and hasty action in response to such terrorist attacks,” he said adding Tehran will “find a suitable time if it decides to give a response and retaliate”.
Is This Credible?
Al-Jazeera, based in the Persian Gulf, represents a pan-Arab point of view and is not necessarily sympathetic to Iran. The report quotes independent analysts, not government spokesman. In my view it credibly captures Iran’s perspective on the attack.
