TEHRAN – A terrorist blast in Turkey on Saturday drew strong condemnation from Tehran, days after the two, coupled with Russia, vowed to cooperate more closely in their fight against terrorism.
At least 50 people were killed and 73 others wounded, in a blast at a wedding ceremony late on August 20 in southeastern Turkey.
Turkey has pointed the finger of suspicion for the bombing at Daesh.
“Committing such terrorist crimes at a wedding ceremony and slaughtering defenseless civilians once again laid bare the heinous and ugly anti-human goal of the Takfiri terrorism” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi.
Carried on the official website of the Foreign Ministry, the statement further warned the region against threats posed by terrorist groups, calling for forging a unified regional front against the extremist current.
“The crimes of Takfiri extremists are aimed at peace and stability of regional countries and demand serious counteraction by regional countries against the violent phenomenon.”
This is the second blast in Turkey after the shakes of the abortive July putsch.
On August 17, a car bomb exploded outside a police station in the eastern city of Van, killing three people including one officer. Also one day later a blast struck near a police station in the city of Elazig, leaving three officers dead and 217 people, 85 of whom police officers.
Aside from political costs of the instabilities, the Erdogan administration is feeling mounting economic pressure with the tourism sector bearing the brunt of the damage.
However, there are hopes for a better situation in the country now considering the political thaw in tumultuous ties with Russia after a Russian Su-24 fighter was downed by a Turkish F-16.
Turkish officials have also leaned more toward Iran lately, learning from the July coup, when first condemnations were voiced by Tehran.