Tehran: There has been a terrorist attack in Iran. Gunmen opened indiscriminate fire at a shrine for Shia Muslims in the city of Shiraz. 15 devotees died, while 40 were injured. Iran’s state media gave this information.
According to the news agency IRNA, this terrorist attack took place at Shahchergh Mosque in Shiraz at around 5:45 pm (local time). Two attackers have been arrested in this case. Efforts are on to arrest the third.
It is noteworthy that Sunni extremists in Iran have often targeted holy sites of Shia Muslims in the past and their involvement in this attack is also seen. The attack in Iran comes at a time when anti-government agitations have been going on in the country for a month demanding independence. At the same time, thousands of protesters took to the streets of the country’s north-western city to mark 40 days of the custodial death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
It is noteworthy that Shia Muslims have many customs after death and mourning is celebrated again after completing 40 days of death. In Amini’s Kurdish native city of Sakej, long lines of people queued up to reach her tomb. According to government-linked media, 10,000 protesters were involved in the procession leading to Amini’s grave. The women took off their hijabs and swung them in the air over their heads.
