Global General

21+ killed in Iran suicide attacks

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-07-16 11:44

US INVOLVED

Predominantly Shi'ite Muslim Iran arrested Rigi in February, four months after Jundollah claimed responsibility for a bombing which killed dozens of people, including 15 members of the Guards. It was the deadliest attack in Iran since the 1980s.

Zahedan is the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province which shares a border with Pakistan. The province faces serious security problems and there are frequent clashes between police and drug dealers and bandits.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the attacks "in the strongest possible terms."

"This attack, along with the recent attacks in Uganda, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Algeria, underscores the global community's need to work together to combat terrorist organizations that threaten the lives of innocent civilians all around the world," Clinton said in a statement.

Iran says Jundollah has links to Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and in the past has accused Pakistan, Britain and the United States of backing Jundollah to create instability in southeast Iran.

All three countries have denied this, and Jundollah denies having any links with al Qaeda.

"Confessions of Abdolmalek Rigi prove that America, Israel and some European countries are directly involved in the attacks," said Guards official Yadollah Javadi, Fars reported.

"The enemies of our country try to create conflicts between Shi'ites and Sunnis."

In May 2009, a suicide bomber killed 30 people and wounded more than 120 in an attack on a mosque in Zahedan.

Iran is grappling with ethnic and religious tension in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, where authorities have responded to attacks by Sunni rebels with a spate of hangings. Rights groups and the West have condemned the hangings.