Posted on 05/10/2008 5:14:28 AM PDT by nuconvert
Iran Blames US-Backed Monarchists for Shiraz Blast
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran on Thursday blamed Western-backed monarchists, who oppose the Islamic Republic, for an explosion that killed 13 people at a religious center in the southern city of Shiraz last month.
"The Shiraz blast was an act of sabotage and a plot by the enemies of the Iranian people in the name of monarchism," Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi told FNA.
"Their headquarters are in countries which claim (to support) human rights, defend their nations and be anti-terrorist," the minister said.
"They are supported in these countries where they have been given radio and television stations."
Several opposition TV and radio channels have sprung up in the United States and Europe in recent years broadcasting programs to Iran via satellite.
Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie on Wednesday said that the explosion was caused by a bomb and that suspects who were assisted by Western countries had been arrested.
Pour Mohammadi said on Thursday that the culprits had been identified and arrested "in another bombing attempt which was foiled" in an Iranian province.
He did not single out a particular country, but Iranians have a sizable diaspora community in Iran's arch-foe the United States, a minority of whom support the son of Iran's deposed Shah, Reza Pahlavi.
Mohseni Ejeie said on Wednesday that the group responsible for the blast had links with Britain and the United States.
He charged that these countries "did not take any measure to prevent terrorist actions and rather supported them."
"The blast ... was caused by a bombing by a terrorist group with links to Western countries, especially Britain and America," Ejei said.
Five or six people were arrested, including the main culprit who was trying to flee the country, Mohseni Ejei said. The group was found with weapons and "intended to carry out similar acts in other places," he said.
"The group, which has relations to Western countries including Britain and America, has carried out other terrorist activities in the country in the past few years," he said.
Mohseni Ejei said Iran had handed intelligence about the group to Western nations but they had ignored its appeal for action. "They (those in the group) were even supported," the minister said.
Security is normally tight in Iran and bomb attacks have been rare in recent years.
Iran has blamed US and British agents based in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan for launching deadly attacks in border provinces in recent years.
Documents obtained in previous cases has proved that Britain and the United States have both striven to destabilize the Islamic Republic by supporting rebels, mainly those in sensitive border areas.
But the strike in Shiraz was the first in decades in Iran's Persian heartland.
The blast and fire in Shiraz occurred about 9 p.m. in the Rahpouyan-e Vessal cultural center section of Shohada Hosseiniyeh mosque.
The explosion ripped through the hall packed with 800 of worshippers as well-known cleric Anjavinejad delivered his weekly speech against extremist Wahabi beliefs and the outlawed Baha'i faith - both of which are considered heretical by Muslims, specially Shiites.
Survivors were being treated at 12 hospitals.
Shiraz - a historical city of more than 1 million people - is known for being home to many scholars, artists and poets, and for local craftsmanship of rugs and metalwork. The tourist city, about 400 miles south of Tehran, is the capital of southern province of Fars.
One of Iran's most famous cities, Shiraz is popular with foreign tourists because of its proximity to important ancient sites from the Achaemenid Empire that ruled much of Asia from 550-331 BC.
"On Thursday 8 May, Hojjatoleslam Mostafa Pourmohammad, the Interior Minister who, despite the fact that he had been removed three weeks ago, continues to act as a full fledged minister, said in Shiraz (the capital city of the southern Province of Fars) that the reason the Almighty kindly helped in “the arrest of the terrorists who exploded a bomb in a crowded mosque in this city and their network dismantled, was because of the presence of the Great Leader of the Revolution in the Province of Fars and the huge, warm welcome the population of the Province reserved to the Great, Beloved Leader. The arrest of the perpetrators is a gift to the families of the victim, made to them on the happy occasion of the presence of the Great Leader in this Province”. (Source, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA)
At the time, the authorities including the Information (Intelligence) and the Interior ministries had assured that the explosion, which had killed at least 14 people and wounded another 200, was an accident and not the result of a terrorist action."
http://www.iran-press-service.com/ips/articles-2008/may2008/the-disease-that-kills-all-dictatorial-regimes.shtml
Close to 90% of Muslims are Sunnis. They consider Shiites a good deal more heretical than the Wahhabis, who are essentially extremist Sunnis.
[”They are supported in these countries where they have been given radio and television stations.”]
Translation of fascist minister,
The jewish done it with the help of Buushhh!
Yeah, I should hope so -- the SEALS and the Special Boat Service.
Hey stupid -- your beard is on fire.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The mulahs probably blew it themselves in order to demonize Isreal, the US, and to justify a crackdown on “dissidents.”
Can you say “Reichstag Fire”?
“Monarchists”. How 18th century.
Almost certainly not a SOF op. Cultural and religious
targets are not legitimate - unlike certain industrial
targets we could hit but have not done for reasons unknown..
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