Tehran, October 20: The chief of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has accused Britain, the United States and Pakistan of having links with Sunni militants responsible for a suicide bombing that killed five senior guard commanders and 37 others.
Iran’s president said those behind Sunday’s bombing are hiding across the border in Pakistan, and in a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart on Monday he demanded their arrest.
The accusations put some strain on the normally close relationship between Iran and Pakistan, which have had differences over the issue of Islamic extremism in the past. Yesterday’s statements marked the first time Iran has publicly accused its neighbour’s intelligence service of supporting the Sunni rebel group known as Jundallah, or Soldiers of God.
The claims of British and US interference came as both were taking part in talks with Iranian officials over the country’s nuclear programme in Vienna. The accusations, however, were not expected to complicate the talks.
Jundallah, which emerged in 2002 in Iran’s remote and mountainous south-east, has waged a low-level insurgency there to protest what it says is government persecution of the Baluchi ethnic minority. Baluchis follow the Sunni branch of Islam and are a minority in predominantly Shi’ite, Persian Iran.
A claim of responsibility in the name of the group was posted yesterday on an Islamic website that usually publishes al Qaeda statements. The posting, whose authenticity could not be verified, made no mention of any assistance from foreign powers.
The group has carried out kidnappings and attacks in recent years – including targeting the Revolutionary Guard and Shi’ite civilians. In Sunday’s attack, a suicide bomber struck as guard commanders were entering a sports complex to meet tribal leaders to discuss Sunni-Shi’ite co-operation near the Pakistani border.
Revolutionary Guard chief General Mohammad Ali Jafari vowed yesterday to deliver a “crushing” response. “New evidence has been obtained proving the link between yesterday’s terrorist attack and the US, British and Pakistani intelligence services,” state TV quoted Jafari as saying.
He said the attack was “undoubtedly” planned and ordered by the three nations’ intelligence services and that a delegation would soon travel to Pakistan to present evidence.
Iran often accuses Western countries of stoking unrest among the country’s religious and ethnic minorities – allegations those nations have denied. Iran has also claimed that Jundallah receives support from al Qaeda and Taliban militants who operate across the border in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province.
-Agencies