The head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has once again accused Saudi Arabia of having a hand in the June 7 terrorist attacks in Tehran. He also accused Israel and the United States of supporting the perpetrators of the attacks.
"We have precise intelligence showing that, unfortunately, Saudi Arabia supported the terrorists and had asked them to conduct operations in Iran," Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said in a statement on June 12.
On June 7, five armed members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group almost simultaneously attacked the Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran. The attacks left 17 dead and more than 50 wounded.
IS immediately claimed responsibility for the carnage.
According to Fars News Agency, the commander of IRGC also said the United States and Israel support terrorist groups in the region.
Jafari did not elaborate on his accusations or present any evidence backing his comments.
“[The] attacks, intended to weaken the [Islamic] system, were carried out for political purposes,” he reportedly said.
On June 8, Iran’s permanent representative at the United Nations, Gholamali Khoshroo, wrote an official protest letter addressed to the international body’s secretary general, Antonio Guterres, asking him to focus on the motivations and collusions behind the attacks.
“The terrorist attacks in Tehran took place on the heel of the rejection on May 2, 2017, of any dialogue with Iran by the Saudi defense minister and his utter threat, emphasizing that ‘we will work so that the battle is on their side, inside Iran,’ ” Khoshroo wrote. “Nor is it surprising that the Saudi foreign affairs minister [Adel al Jubeir] had threatened Iran a few hours before the attacks, saying ‘Iran must be punished.’ ”
His remarks alluded to the comments made by Prince Mohammed bin Salman a few weeks ago, warning that his country would take the battle to Iranian soil.
Bin Salman, who is second in line to the throne and serves as defense minister, said in early May that Saudi Arabia would fight what he called Iran’s efforts to extend its influence.
“We are a primary target for the Iranian regime,” bin Salman added, accusing Iran of seeking to take over Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, reacting to the prince’s comments, the head of Iran’s judiciary, Ayatollah Sadiq Larijani, said, “[Taking the battle to Iran] is Saudi officials’ dream that will never come true.”
While Iranian senior officials continue to bombard Saudi Arabia with an orchestrated barrage of accusations, in a video published by IS, one of the perpetrators of the attacks warned, “After Iran, it will be Al-i Saud’s (House of Saud, or the Saudi royal family) turn.”
