Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi has says the Islamic Republic will deliver a crushing response to those behind the Wednesday terrorist attack on the holy shrine of Shah Cheragh in the country’s southwestern city of Shiraz.
“This vicious act will definitely not go unanswered. The country’s security and law enforcement forces, having identified the root causes of this heinous crime, will deliver a decisive response to its architects and operatives,” which will make them regret their act, the Iranian president said Wednesday evening.
The incident took place at around 5:45 p.m. local time (1415 GMT) on Wednesday just before the evening prayers.
The police commander of Fars province said the attacker opened indiscriminate fire at pilgrims inside the shrine and was himself wounded and arrested by security officials.
Nour News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran's top security body, said the militant who carried out the attack was a foreign national.
CCTV footage released by local authorities showed the terrorist making his way inside the shrine and opening fire at people present there.
“Experience shows that Iran's enemies take revenge for their desperation and failed attempts to cause divisions within the united ranks of the Iranian society and impede the country’s progress by means of violence and terror," President Raeisi said in his remarks.
He also offered his sincere condolences over the death of a group of pilgrims at the funerary monument and mosque, which houses the tomb of the brothers Ahmad and Muhammad, sons of Imam Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kazim (PBUH) – the seventh Shia Imam.
Separately, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the Shiraz terrorist attack exposed the complex nature of enemy's conspiracies, which is aimed at all forms of violence and recognizes no boundaries as to the loss of a large number of ordinary people.
“The incident marked an assault on all sanctities and was a profane move as witnessed before. This time the Shah Cheragh shrine was subjected to desecration, and several people were killed,” the senior Iranian official said.
Vahidi noted that the terrorist attack also revealed the actual extent of enemies' cruelty – something which has been demonstrated at times during latest riots.
The Iranian interior minister noted that the ongoing disturbances, which have troubled people in the past days, is taking a dangerous course, and terrorist groups have taken advantage of the status quo to stage attacks.
He underlined that Iran’s security apparatus will seriously monitor the unfolding developments and will firmly respond to any act of violence and terror.