Iran: 25 killed in attack on military march

By Mustafa Kamel and Muhammed Kursun and Ibrahim Saleh

TEHRAN

The toll of people killed and injured on Saturday in the armed attack targeted a military march in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahwaz risen to 25 people killed and 60 people injured, according to Iran’s IRNA official news agency.

Earlier Saturday, Iranian local media reported that, at least 24 people killed and 53 people injured over the attack, explaining that, including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. A journalist named Yunus Purhulu was among those killed.

A woman and a child were among the injured, according to an earlier report by IRNA.

Iranian local media reported that gunmen wearing military uniforms fired at the Iranian forces during a military parade, an attack that lasted for about 10 minutes.

For his part, spokesman for Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi announced that “three terrorists were killed” on the spot over the attack, while a fourth one who has been wounded “died in hospital", IRNA reported.

Shekarchi mentioned in an earlier statement that three of the terrorists were killed by security forces while a fourth one has been arrested.

"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," tweeted Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) spokesman Ramezan Sharif said “The attack by some elements of al-Ahvaziya group which is fed by Saudi Arabia, aimed to overshadow the magnificence of the parade by the Iranian armed forces.”

However, the self-proclaimed Daesh terrorist organization claimed latter Saturday its responsibility for the attack through its electronic website “Amaq”.

Through the Amaq website, Daesh claimed that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was attending the targeted military parade.

The website, however, has not published any footage or video for the attack.

Iranian authorities “temporarily” shut down two border crossings with Iraq, according to an Iraqi customs official who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

The two border crossings in question are that Shalamjah (adjacent to Iraq’s Basra governorate) and Al-Shib (adjacent to Iraq’s Maysan governorate).