Ahmadinejad orders probe of foreign links to Iran blasts
LONDON, January 24 (IranMania) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered Iran's intelligence and foreign ministries to probe "the role of foreign hands" in Tuesday's deadly twin bombing in Ahvaz, the ISNA news agency reported.
"The president has ordered a prompt and firm probe into today's blast and the terrorists who executed it," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying.
"The intelligence and foreign ministries have to probe the role of foreign hands in this incident. Iran has always been victimised by terrorism and these blind blasts show the continuity of brutal acts against Iran by international terrorists."
The spokesman said Ahmadinejad, who had been due to travel to the southwestern city of Ahvaz on Tuesday, "expressed deep concern over the death and injuries" in the latest attacks, said AFP.
Eight people were killed and dozens more injured in the double bomb attack in the restive city. Ahmadinejad's trip there was cancelled at the last moment due to bad weather.
Situated close to the border with British-controlled southern Iraq, Ahvaz has been hit by a wave of insecurity over the past year, including ethnic riots in April 2005 and a string of car bombings prior to Iran's presidential election last June when Ahmadinejad scored a shock victory.
In October another double bombing in Ahvaz killed six people and wounded more than 100, while at the same time several pipeline blasts were reported with sabotage reportedly suspected in at least one of those incidents.
At the time Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the clerical regime had proof of British involvement in the unrest, a charge Britain angrily denied.
"The president has ordered a prompt and firm probe into today's blast and the terrorists who executed it," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying.
"The intelligence and foreign ministries have to probe the role of foreign hands in this incident. Iran has always been victimised by terrorism and these blind blasts show the continuity of brutal acts against Iran by international terrorists."
The spokesman said Ahmadinejad, who had been due to travel to the southwestern city of Ahvaz on Tuesday, "expressed deep concern over the death and injuries" in the latest attacks, said AFP.
Eight people were killed and dozens more injured in the double bomb attack in the restive city. Ahmadinejad's trip there was cancelled at the last moment due to bad weather.
Situated close to the border with British-controlled southern Iraq, Ahvaz has been hit by a wave of insecurity over the past year, including ethnic riots in April 2005 and a string of car bombings prior to Iran's presidential election last June when Ahmadinejad scored a shock victory.
In October another double bombing in Ahvaz killed six people and wounded more than 100, while at the same time several pipeline blasts were reported with sabotage reportedly suspected in at least one of those incidents.
At the time Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the clerical regime had proof of British involvement in the unrest, a charge Britain angrily denied.
posted by Marko at 1/24/2006 06:40:00 PM
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