[Beren]

Tehran attacks: at least eight dead in shootings and suicide bombings at Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb and parliament

Eight people killed and four hostages taken in shooting and suicide bombing at parliament building, quickly followed by reports of armed gunmen and two explosions at Ayatollah's tomb.

Bethan McKernan | Beirut | An hour ago

At least eight people are dead and several more have been injured in twin shooting and suicide bomb attacks at the Iranian parliament and the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran.

One guard and six others were killed in the incident in parliament early on Wednesday, Tasnim news agency reported, in an attack which occurred around the same time four men launched an assault on Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb with guns and two suicide bombs.

Reports emerged that another suicide bomb was detonated on the fourth floor of parliament and several people had been taken hostage later on Wednesday morning. Heavy gunfire could be heard coming from inside as security forces swarmed at the building's entrances.

In the mausoleum attack, assailants killed a security guard and injured at least four others, state television said. A picture reportedly showing the first explosion, released by Jamaran News, shows an empty courtyard.

Initial reports said one attacker was shot dead at the scene and one woman arrested. Tehran's governor later said that one attacker had been killed, and another had blown himself up.

There are conflicting reports as to how many gunmen were involved in the parliament attack. At least four people have been taken hostage.

Unconfirmed reports said that the attackers had been looking for the chamber where MPs were in session, but lost their way once inside the building.

At least one male assailant escaped the building but was captured as he was on the run, the agency reports.

The identity and motivation of the attackers in both incidents is still unclear, or whether the two are linked.

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched the county's Islamic revolution in 1979. He is regarded as the revolutionary founder of the modern state and is revered in Shia Islam worldwide.

The incidents occurred during Ramadan - the holy Muslim month - in which Isis tells supporters the reward for jihad are manifold.

Wednesday's events mark the fourth major terror attack claimed by Isis worldwide since the holy month began on 27 May.

It's not only the decadent (politically correct and multicultural) West that is under attack it seems.

[Decky]

Of course we are not the only ones under attack, the Sunnies (the ones attacking us) and the Protestants in Islam, the Shias (the ones that are no real trouble) are the Catholics of Islam, they will always be fighting each other, we need to be more friendly with Iran to fight the Sunni menace.

[Hong Wu]

This has Wahhabist all over it; having a map of the building you're attacking may be haram

[Beren]

Islamic State claims attacks on Iran parliament, shrine

Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi

Associated Press | June 7, 2017

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- The Islamic State group claimed a pair of attacks Wednesday on Iran's parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which have killed two security guards and wounded more than 30 people, with the siege at the legislature still underway.

It marks the first attack in Iran claimed by the extremist group, which is at war with Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Iraq. In a message posted through its Aamaq News Agency, the IS group claimed its fighters were behind the assaults.

The attacks began midmorning when assailants armed with Kalashnikov rifles stormed the parliament building. 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.

Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Hossein Zolfaghari told Iran's state TV the apparently male attackers wore women's attire.

An Associated Press reporter saw several police snipers on the rooftops of buildings around the parliament. Shops in the area were shuttered, and gunfire could be heard. Witnesses said the attackers were shooting from the fourth floor of the parliament building down at people in the streets below.

"I was passing by one of the streets. I thought that children were playing with fireworks, but I realized people are hiding and lying down on the streets," Ebrahim Ghanimi, who was around the parliament building when the assailants stormed in, told The Associated Press. "With the help of a taxi driver, I reached a nearby alley."

Police helicopters circled over the parliament building and all mobile phone lines from inside were disconnected. The semi-official ISNA news agency said all entrance and exit gates at parliament were closed and that lawmakers and reporters were ordered to remain in place inside the chamber.

Soon after the parliament attack, a suicide bomber and other assailants targeted the shrine located just outside the capital, Tehran, according to Iran's official state broadcaster. It said a security guard was killed and that one of the attackers was killed by security guards. A woman was also arrested.

In addition to being lethal, the attack on the shrine of Khomeini is symbolically stunning. As Iran's first Supreme Leader, Khomeini is a towering figure in the country and was its revolutionary leader in the 1979 ouster of the shah.

An Associated Press reporter saw security forces, some uniformed and others in plainclothes, around the large and ornate shrine.

The IS group often claims attacks around the world, even when links to the group cannot be confirmed and appear dubious. Iranian security officials have not said who they suspect is behind the attacks, though state media has referred to the attackers as "terrorists".

Sunni extremists, including the IS, despise Shiite-majority Iran. Iran has also come under attack in the past by Arab insurgents.

The unusual attacks in Iran prompted the Interior Ministry to call for an urgent security meeting, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. Officials urged people to avoid using public transportation until further notice.

___

Associated Press producer Mahdi Fattahi and cameraman Saeed Sarmadi contributed to this report.

[MadMonk]

Iran has long supplied murderous Shiite death squads in Iraq, fighting Sunni-tribes and on occasion even the Islamic State. Necessary geo-politics, fine, but it was not unexpected that there would be blowback there as well.

To anyone versed in Iranian politics, will there be political/social fallout?

[neopagan]

Muslims killing muslims, its a win-win situation.

[noir]

Muslims killing muslims, its a win-win situation.

The funny thing is some Iranians see it as victimhood of Iran.

For the historical record, Iran invented the Islamic suicide bombing. It started in Iran Iraq war, spread in the 80's to Shia in Lebanon, copied by the Hamas (Pali branch of Sunni Islamic Brotherhood) in the 90's and from there via the World media uncritical fascination (and EU/UN support) to whole Sunni world. What comes around goes around.

[Beren]

I'm sure it was.

[noir]

No way. Historical record must be stress. Nothing comes out of the blue. Wait for anasawad who will use it to show how Iranians are the same victims as Westerners against the evil Sunnis. There will be enough gullible persons like you who will take it face value.

[noir]

Back to the topic. Iran is not victim. It's Islamic War World. They are fighting for hegemony, unlike pro Iranian propaganda (Obama was one), they are bad as one another.

[Oxymoron]

The Persians have been a thorn in European backside for time eternal, let our enemies fight it out to the death. We should simply get our popcorn.

[Zionist Nationalist]

Iran are funding terrorism so fuck them

[Beren]

Of course we are not the only ones under attack

I thought the West was under attack due to its decadence (political correctness and multiculturalism) and openness, being the softest pussies in the world so to speak, and proper authoritarianism could be the final solution to the problems. However, even Iran is not a hermetically closed super-duper tyranny like North Korea for example, so maybe it doesn't mean anything that terrorist attacks happen there, they just should be even more closed, tyrannic and brutal of course.

I actually opened this thread to discuss the real cause of such terrorism, which is the ongoing war in the Middle East. In the case of Iran we can't blame decadence and liberal democracy fortunately, so we could talk about the real issues here perhaps. I also believe it's actually bigger news than the London attacks because Iran is a larger player in the Middle East than the UK is, so maybe it has more relevance.

[noir]

so we could talk about the real issues here perhaps.

The real issue is Sunni Shia war world. But this is off topic.

[Zionist Nationalist]

I thought the West was under attack due to its decadence (political correctness and multiculturalism) and openness, being the softest pussies in the world so to speak, and proper authoritarianism could be the final solution to the problems. However, even Iran is not a hermetically closed super-duper tyranny like North Korea for example, so maybe it doesn't mean anything that terrorist attacks happen there, they just should be even more closed, tyrannic and brutal of course.

I actually opened this thread to discuss the real cause of such terrorism, which is the ongoing war in the Middle East. In the case of Iran we can't blame decadence and liberal democracy fortunately, so we could talk about the real issues here perhaps. I also believe it's actually bigger news than the London attacks because Iran is a larger player in the Middle East than the UK is, so maybe it has more relevance.

I think its pretty obvious why was Iran attacked.

[noir]

I think its pretty obvious why was Iran attacked.

Many Westerners who brought up by the Western progressive/reactionary narrative do not know why.

[stephen50right]

Good to see those filthy ruling Ayatollahs get a taste of their own medicine. I just wish it was the Iranian people that would rise up and throw out the stinking ruling Ayatollahs.

[MememyselfandIJK]

Good to see those filthy ruling Ayatollahs get a taste of their own medicine. I just wish it was the Iranian people that would rise up and throw out the stinking ruling Ayatollahs.

Terrorist attack in the West: "Deport all Muslims, invade the Middle East!"
Terrorist attack in the Middle East: "Meh, they deserved it."

Real smooth.

[neopagan]

While the Sunni-Shia divide is clearly demonstrated in this stunt, the Khomeinis and their fanatical Islamic fundamentalism are a large part of the so-called International jihad, or more precisely, holy war against all other cultures. So in a way, it is poetic justice. At the same time, it muddies the waters even further, giving the Iranian fundamentalists an opportunity to cry victim, while they carry on their brand of Islamo-fascism.

[Suntzu]

We had the perfect situation, Sunni killing Shiite, Iraqi killing Iranians . . . and then Dubya phucked it up.