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Iran vows to 'punish' Shiite shrine massacre perpetrators

October 27, 2022

President Raisi vowed a "severe response" to a massacre at a Shiite shrine that the "Islamic State" said it conducted. Meanwhile, a rights group reported that a man was killed by security forces in western Iran.

https://p.dw.com/p/4IkXa
Blood on the floor of the Shiite shrine
An attack at a shrine in Fars provincial capital Shiraz left 15 worshippers deadImage: ISNA

Iran's leadership on Thursday vowed to "punish" those responsible for a shooting at a Shiite Muslim shrine that killed 15.

Meanwhile, a rights group reported that security forces killed a man after protesters surrounded government buildings.

What did Iranian officials say?

President Ebrahim Raisi said, "The intention of the enemy is to disrupt the country's progress, and then these riots pave the ground for terrorist attacks."

Iranian authorities have long accused outside forces of fomenting unrest over the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody. They have also attempted to link the protests to Wednesday's deadly attack, which was claimed by the "Islamic State" (IS), a Sunni extremist group.

Raisi vowed a "severe response" to the attack on the shrine.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed Raisi's comments, calling for united efforts against a "plot" by Iran's foes.

"The perpetrator or perpetrators of this saddening crime will certainly be punished," Khamenei said.

Commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, vowed to bring the "fire of revenge" on those responsible and to "punish them for their shameful deeds."

Man killed in Mahabad — rights group

Norway-based human rights NGO Hengaw reported on Twitter that Iranian security forces shot dead a young man during protests in the northwestern city of Mahabad.

Mahabad is a predominantly Kurdish city in the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan.

"A young Kurdish man was killed by direct fire from Iranian security forces," Hengaw said. "This young man was shot in the forehead."

Hengaw said security forces had opened fire on people in Mahabad's Gomrok neighborhood after one of the city's police stations was surrounded.

The rights group said that protesters chanted "we should not mourn for our youth, we should avenge them." Mourners were paying tribute to a 35-year-old protester killed on Wednesday night.

On Wednesday, Hengaw reported that security forces had opened fire on mourners in Saqez in the province of Kurdistan, Mahsa Amini's hometown.

sdi/sms (Reuters, AFP)