Iran "Memorial Ceremony Terrorists Include Israeli Descent... Trained by IS"

Iran Intelligence Agency "35 Accomplices Involved in Terrorism Arrested"

On the 11th (local time), the semi-official Tasnim News reported that the perpetrator of the explosive attack on the 3rd, during the 4th anniversary memorial ceremony of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, was of Israeli descent.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the report, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence announced that a total of 35 accomplices involved in the attack have been arrested so far. It also claimed that the identity of one of the two suicide bombers who carried out the attack wearing explosive vests was confirmed as Bazirov Bozrov (24), an Israeli of Tajik nationality.

The Ministry of Intelligence stated, "Bozrov was exposed to the worship of the Islamic State (IS) in the United States through Telegram, and being influenced by it, he left for Turkey and, with the help of smugglers at the western and eastern borders of Iran, traveled through Iran to Afghanistan." It added, "He received doctrinal study and training at an IS base in the Badakhshan region of northeastern Afghanistan, and after several months, he entered Iran and joined other terrorists."

According to the Ministry of Intelligence's findings, the terrorists moved to the cemetery where Soleimani is buried on the day of the incident, but judging that security near the grave was stricter than expected, they detonated the explosives at a point with relatively less surveillance. The Ministry further explained that the planner of this terrorist act was identified as a Tajikistani mercenary known as 'Abdullah Tajiki.'

Since immediately after the explosive attack, Iran has consistently suspected Israel as the mastermind behind the incident and has warned of strong retaliation.