ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian security forces on Monday announced they had arrested eight people suspected of being involved in a deadly attack on a major Shiite holy site in Fars province’s Shiraz the day before, adding that all the suspects were “foreigners”.
Gunmen attacked Shiraz’s holy Shah Cheragh mosque on Sunday, killing at least two people and injuring eight others. No parties have claimed responsibility for the incident, but Iran has blamed the Islamic State (ISIS) for the attack.
Chief Justice of Fars province Kazem Mousavi revealed that they had discovered the “safe house” of the suspects in Sunday’s attack, arresting eight people, all of whom were foreign nationals, according to Iranian state media (IRNA).
One of the gunmen was immediately arrested after the clashes with the security forces at the mausoleum’s gates. Mousavi said that the gunmen has been identified as a Tajikistani national.
The Shah Cheragh mosque was also the site of another attack in October of last year, when a gunmen opened fire on worshippers at the holy Shiite shrine, killing at least 13 people. Shortly after, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Iran in July hanged two men in public, accused of being directly involved in arming and guiding the main perpetrator of October’s attack, who was killed in a clash with security forces during his arrest.
Three other defendants were handed prison sentences of five, 15, and 25 years for ISIS membership.
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