Death Toll In Iran Shrine Attack Climbs to Two; IRGC Accuses Israel
A second Iranian injured in an attack by a gunman at a religious shrine on Sunday has died in hospital.
A second Iranian injured in an attack by a gunman at a religious shrine on Sunday has died in hospital.
Iranian media reported the passing of Mohammad Jahangiri, a member of the Shahcheragh security forces who had sustained injuries in the attack on Sunday. Despite undergoing two surgeries, Jahangiri succumbed to his wounds due to a gunshot injury to the abdomen, as reported by ISNA.
Amidst the unfolding situation, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused Israeli Tuesday of involvement in the attack.
Yadollah Bouali, Commander of the IRGC in Fars Province where the incident took place, disclosed on Tuesday that the shooter operated within a wider network, suggesting that the network's activities span across multiple countries and maintain links to Israel. Bouali also claimed the network operated over a month in Shiraz before targeting the shrine.
He claimed that "More than 10 individuals have been apprehended thus far," and emphasized that the perpetrator was equipped with one of the "most sophisticated firearms."
Earlier, the Mizan News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Republic's judiciary, had reported the detention of eight foreign suspects associated with the incident.
Additionally, on Monday, Ramzan Sharif, the IRGC spokesperson, refuted claims attributing the attack to an Afghan national, noting that the suspect's nationality would be disclosed in due course.
In a parallel development, the Chief Justice of Fars Province identified the attacker as Rahmatollah Nowruzov, and said he is a Tajik national.
This incident bears a striking resemblance to a previous incident in October, when a gunman, identified as a Tajikistan citizen, entered the shrine, opened fire, and subsequently lost his life after being shot. The October incident coincided with anti-regime protests, raising speculation and accusations of orchestrated tactics by the government. In a similar vein, Iran publicly executed two Afghan nationals in July, accused of aiding the primary perpetrator of the October attack.
