ISIS claims Iran shrine attack, president Raisi vows strong response

Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the Shia holy shrine gun attack in southern Iran that killed at least 15 people and injured over 40 on Wednesday.

Three IS terrorists opened fire on worshippers at the Shah Cheragh shrine in Shiraz city, "killing at least 20 Shiites and wounded dozens of others", the radical Sunni Muslim jihadist group said in a statement via Telegram channels.

According to local reports, the attack was carried out by three armed men in the evening. The enforcement agencies have caught two of the terrorists while the hunt is on for the third one.

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Earlier state-run Nour news reported that the attackers were not Iranian nationals.

According to Fars News Agency, one woman and two children were among those killed in Shiraz, a popular destination for pilgrimages and tourism.

It is a very rare incident as the last such attack to take place in the city was in April 2008 when a bomb planted in a mosque killed 14 people.

Condemning the attack, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed “regrettable response” against those responsible for the Shiraz attack.

“Experience shows that Iran’s enemies, after failing to create a split in the nation’s united ranks, take revenge through violence and terror. This evil will definitely not go unanswered, and the security and law enforcement agencies will teach a lesson to those who designed the attack,” Raisi said, according to Tasnim news agency.

The Wednesday attack comes at a time when the nation is gripped by street protests against the regime over the custodial death of 23-year-old Mhasa Amini.

According to rights groups, more than 200 protesters have been killed and thousands have been arrested.

(With inputs from agencies)

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