Iran hands Shiraz attacker two death sentences

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iranian court issued two death sentences for the main suspect in the deadly attack on a major Shiite holy site in Fars province’s Shiraz last month, reported the country’s judiciary on Thursday.

Gunmen attacked Shiraz’s holy Shah Cheragh mosque in August, killing two people and injuring at least seven others. Iran quickly blamed the Islamic State (ISIS) for the attack.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan online said that Rahmatollah Norouzof, a Tajik national, was “sentenced to death twice” by Fars’ Islamic revolutionary court in relation to the attack in Shiraz. Two other suspects were sentenced to five years in prison each.

Norouzof was convicted of charges of moharebeh (enmity against God) as well as "sedition and collusion against the security of the country," after he had confessed to being a member of ISIS and his communications with the militant group had been verified, according to Mizan.

The judiciary also mentioned that the other two suspects were acquitted of charges of “aiding in war and corruption in the land” as they were unaware of Norouzof’s “sinister intention,” resulting in their lighter sentences.

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.