Iran Authorities Link Sabotage to Mosque Blast

An explosion in the southern Iranian mosque resulted to 11 deaths and 191 people with injuries after evening prayers. The initial report of local police said a homemade bomb exploded, but has appeared to be a case of careless handling of live munitions inside the mosque. However, the Iranian foreign ministry still has not ruled out the possibility of sabotage.

The blast and fired happened about 9 in the evening Saturday at the Rahpouyan-e Vessal Cultural Center located inside the Shohada Hosseiniyeh mosque in Shiraz city. Iran’s state-run news agency reported 11 dead and 191 wounded, which were treated in 12 hospitals.

Fars news agency reported over 800 people gathering at the mosque on Saturday to hear a local cleric’s sermon denouncing Wahhabi and Baha’I faiths, which are both considered heretical by Shiites.

Provincial police commander Ali Moaeyri said, “It was not sabotage. Some live munitions may have been left behind at that location, which could have been the cause of the explosion.” He added that the munitions were probably left behind after a “sacred Defense exhibition” was held at the mosque’s cultural center.

Shiraz prosecutor Hojatoleslam Jaber Baneshi and Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Ali Hosseini both said the cause of the explosion is still uncertain.

“We cannot make any prejudgments regarding the bomb blasts, and no group has claimed responsibility,” Hosseini said.