A day after the attack on Iran’s Shah Cheragh shrine, which left one person dead and injured eight others, the Iranian authorities on Monday, August 14, arrested eight foreign suspects.
The chief judge of Fars province, Kazem Mousavi, said, “With the investigations conducted so far, eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.”
He added, “The main terrorist, who started shooting at people in the shrine and was arrested immediately, has been handed over to investigators for interrogation and further investigation,” according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.
On Sunday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi directed interior minister Ahmad Vahidi and governor of Fars province Mohammad Hadi Imaniyeh to swiftly identify and punish the perpetrators of the attack.
On Monday, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the Shah Cheragh shrine and warned of a “painful end” for the perpetrators and supporters of the heinous crime.
The attack came less than a year after a similar attack targeted the same holy site. On October 26, 2023, a heavy gunfire at the shrine left 13 dead and 30 wounded. ISIS later claimed the attack.
On July 8, Iranian authorities executed two men accused of carrying out a deadly attack on a shrine last year.
OIC condemns attack
Meanwhile, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, condemned the terrorist attack at a shrine.
He conveyed his sincere condolences to the Iranian Government and the victims’ families. He also wished the wounded a speedy recovery.
The secretary-general expressed his firm rejection of such heinous acts, and reiterated the principled position of the OIC against all forms of terrorism regardless of their motivation.
