The deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has cautioned U.S. and Israeli leaders to expect a “devastating” response from Tehran after accusing them of their involvement in the military parade attack in the city of Ahvaz, Reuters reported.
Upto 25 people were killed in the attack including 12 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards that took place on Saturday. Scores of people took to the streets to mourn the victims.
In a speech at a the funeral in Ahvaz broadcasted live on state television, Hossein Salami said, “You have seen our revenge before … You will see that our response will be crushing and devastating and you will regret what you have done.”
Mahmoud Alavi, the state’s intelligence minister said as reported by the judiciary’s news agency Mizan said a large network of suspects had already been arrested in connection with the attack.
A national day of mourning has been declared on Monday. In Khuzestan province, public offices, banks, schools and universities will be closed.
Earlier, four gunmen fired upon a stand where Iranian officials had come together in an annual event which kickstarted the Islamic Republic’s 1980-88 war with Iraq.
Islamic State’s mouthpiece, Amaq news agency had earlier posted a video showing three men in a vehicle who said that they were on their way to carry out the attack.
“We are Muslims, they are kafirs (non-believers),” a man wearing a baseball cap which had reportedly a Revolutionary Guard logo on it said. “We will destroy them with a strong and guerrilla-style attack, inshallah (God willing).”
Among those claiming responsibility is Ahvaz National Resistance, an Iranian ethnic Arab opposition movement which has sought a separate state in oil-rich Khuzestan province.
Senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have said the Ahvaz attack was carried out by militants trained by Gulf states and Israel, and backed by America.
