Iran neutralizes 30 bombs in the capital

Iranian authorities announced that they had dealt with 30 bombs that were supposed to explode simultaneously in the capital Tehran and arrested 28 people involved.

"Some of the suspects were members of the Islamic State (IS) and the perpetrators have a history of links with apostate groups in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Kurdistan region of Iraq," Iran's Intelligence Ministry said on September 24.

IS has claimed several attacks in Iran, including deadly twin bombings in 2017 targeting Iran's parliament and the mausoleum of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Vehicles burned during a protest in Tehran, Iran, last September. Photo: Reuters — Vehicles burned during a protest in Tehran, Iran, last September. Photo: *Reuters*

Most recently, IS claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shiite shrine in the southwestern Iranian city of Shiraz last October that killed 15 people.

IS once controlled large areas in Syria and Iraq with about 10 million people and declared the establishment of its own Islamic state. However, this extremist group has suffered many consecutive defeats from separate campaigns by the US-led coalition and the Syrian army supported by Russia.

Since losing its last stronghold in the eastern Syrian desert in March 2019, IS remnants have retreated into the desert, occasionally launching attacks against Kurdish forces and the Syrian government. Most of the attacks have been small-scale, targeting military targets and oil facilities in remote areas.

Still, US officials say the extremists, which include thousands of fighters scattered across branches in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and elsewhere, remain a dangerous threat.

Vu Hoang (According to Reuters )

Source link