Latest on Iran attack: Twin assaults on parliament and shrine in Tehran
At least 12 people were killed and more than 40 wounded on Wednesday morning in a pair of attacks on Iran's two most important symbols: the parliament and the Mausoleum of Iran's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The Islamic State, or ISIS, claimed responsiblity for the attacks and released a video of the attack inside the parliament building.
If ISIS' claims are true, this would be the group's first major attack inside the Shia Muslim-majority country, which is one of the powers leading the fight against Islamic State militants in the region.
Iranian police can be seen helping a child escape the besieged parliament building in #Tehran #CNN#Iran #IranParliamentAttack pic.twitter.com/bRJxZHMaLv
— Basma El Baz (@BaSsmaEBaz) June 7, 2017
According to media reports, attackers armed with Kalashnikov rifles and dressed as women stormed through the parliament bulding's main entrance in Tehran, killed at least one security guard, and wounded and kidnapped other people.
One of the attackers later blew himself up inside, where a session had been in progress, according to a statement carried by Iran's state TV.
Iran has been an island of safety in a region that experiences some form of terror almost every day. That just changed today and it's sad.
— Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) June 7, 2017
About five hours after the first reports, Iranian news agencies said four people who had attacked the building were dead and the incident was over.
About the same time, in southern Tehran, two attackers entered the Khomeini mausoleum, a destination for tourists and pilgrims.
One bomber there detonated a suicide vest and another was killed by security forces, Iran state broadcaster Irib reported. Several members of the public, visiting the shrine, were injured.
(Warning: Graphic images)
New video released on of Imam Khomeini Shrine bomb attack. #Iran #Tehran #IranParliament pic.twitter.com/QmIM77Yl99
— Alireza Taherzadeh (@Artaherzadeh) June 7, 2017
Iran's intelligence ministry said security forces had arrested another "terrorist team" planning a third attack, without giving further details.
The country's parliament speaker tried to play down the attacks. "Some coward terrorists infiltrated one of the buildings of parliament. They were confronted. It was not a major issue. Our security forces have taken necessary steps," Ali Larijani said in an open session broadcast live by state TV.
In last week alone, #ISIS claimed attacks in:•Tehran, Iran (today) •London, UK •Manila, Philippines •Baghdad, Iraq pic.twitter.com/RgzeTCd7rl
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) June 7, 2017
The Islamic State released a graphic video showing a bloodied man lying on the ground in the Parliament while a gunman in the background shouted, “Thank God! Do you think that we are going to leave? We will remain here, God willing.”
What explains ISIS' entry into Iran?
The attacks are the first major terrorist violence in Tehran in more than a decade. After the turbulent years of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the Iran-Iraq wars of 1982, Iran has been a relatively peaceful and stable nation in an increasingly unstable region.
It also marks the ISIS's entry inside Iran. Despite Iran's active involvement in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the group had not carried out any attacks in the country, and doesn't enjoy much support in the predominantly Shia nation. However, ISIS has this year released a number of propaganda pieces focused on inciting attacks inside Iran.
The dastardly attack took place in only less than a month after the re-election of President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate and the political spearhead of the Obama-era US-Iran diplomatic thaw.
With the current US president Donald Trump going back on the foreign policy achievements of the former Obama administration, we see a reversal of alignments, and a concerted attempt to ostracise Iran from the Middle Eastern affairs.
Even the move by Saudi Arabia to isolate Qatar was premised on the latter's improving relations with Iran, and supporting militias which have direct or indirect backing from Tehran.
The latest assault in the heart of the Iranian capital must be read in the context of the expanding fissures in the Middle East and North African region.