TEHRAN – The Islamic State on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attacks on Iran parliament and Imam Khomeini Mausoleum through its Amaq news agency.
“Fighters from the Islamic State attacked Khomeini’s shrine and the Iranian parliament in Tehran,” the news agency said.
It is the militant group’s first attacks in Iran. Iran’s Intelligence Ministry stated that it has foiled an additional terrorist plot.
At least seven people were killed in a spree of attacks with one targeting Iran’s parliament and the other one at Imam Khomeini Mausoleum, here on Wednesday according to several Iranian news agencies.
Iranian Media Reports
Media reports emerging out of Tehran suggest that two attacks happened in Iran. The first one relates to an armed man who entered the western entrance of the mausoleum and opened fire before blowing himself up with a suicide vest.
One person was also killed. However, it was not determined whether he was the suicide bomber himself, reported ISNA news agency.
On the other hand, Fars news agency gave a different view and claimed that four unidentified armed assailants started a shooting spree at Imam Khomeini’s shrine.
Three of the assailants shot tens of rounds at the people visiting the shrine, while the fourth one detonated himself in a suicide attack in front of a police station opposite the shrine.
Reportedly, the suicide attacker was a female. The law enforcement and guards at the shrine said they have also defused another suicide vest at the scene.
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However, there were mixed reports, with some local news agencies reporting there was a single shooter inside the Tehran parliamentary complex and others saying there were three men armed with rifles and a pistol.
The Tasnim news agency said that the identity and motivation of the assailant was still unclear and reports are rife that the shooting was still on and several people were held hostage inside the parliament building.
Senior member of the parliament’s Presiding Board Akbar Ranjbarzadeh said that the assailant was arrested at the parliament’s hallway.
Meantime, Elyas Hazrati, a senior MP, said that three assailants attacked the parliament, carrying 2 Kalashnikov rifles and a handgun.
Contradictory reports are coming from the parliament as one of the deputies said there were three assailants who have been trapped in the offices of the deputies.
Interior Minister Abdol Rahman Fazli confirmed that he had convened a special meeting of the country’s security council in the wake of terror attacks.
