Iran's Revolutionary Guards blame Saudi Arabia for masterminding deadly attacks in Tehran

TEHRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have accused Saudi Arabia of masterminding the deadly attacks in Tehran on Wednesday in which at least 12 people were killed. Earlier the terrorist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks.



"This terrorist attack happened only a week after the meeting between the U.S. president (Donald Trump) and the (Saudi) backward leaders who support terrorists. The fact that Islamic State has claimed responsibility proves that they were involved in the brutal attack," said the statement, cited by Reuters.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the attacks will make the country more united.

"Today's terrorist attacks in Tehran will make the Islamic Republic of Iran more determined in the fight against regional terrorism, extremism and violence," he said in a statement published by ISNA news agency.

"We will prove once again that we will crush the enemies' plots with more unity and more strength."



Earlier, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, IRGC deputy commander, pledged retaliation for the attack.

“Let there be no doubt that we will take revenge for today's attacks in Tehran, on terrorists, their affiliates and their supporters,” he said, as cited by the news agency Mehr.

Twelve people were reported killed and 43 injured in gun and bomb attacks in the Iranian capital. The perpetrators targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini’s shrine.



Both attacks were claimed by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), the terrorist organization based in Iraq and Syria. Iran supports both countries in their fight against IS. The attacks in Tehran were the first that IS had claimed responsibility for in the Shiite Islamic republic.