Warsaw Summit Exposes Agenda: Terrorism

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a statement saying, "A group who devoted themselves to protecting our borders and guard our security were martyred in an attack by terrorists.”

"The connection between the agents of this crime with the spy agencies of some countries in the region and outside of the region is certain. The responsible agencies of our country must focus on that and pursue it seriously.”

The Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group Jaish al-Adl took responsibility for the attack in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province. Iran has long complained that Pakistan has not taken seriously the threat the takfiri group poses to Iran and has not done enough to deter its attacks.

IRGC head Major General Muhammad Ali Jafari issued a statement requesting that Pakistan take a more aggressive approach to the group on its border.

"The brotherly government of Pakistan and the country’s security bodies and army are expected to step up security measures and tactics on the common border,” he said.

"Our response in defense of the Islamic Revolution will not be limited to our borders,” IRGC commander Ali Fadavi was quoted as saying by Fars. "The enemies will receive a very firm response from the Revolutionary Guards like before.”

President Hassan Rouhani vowed a strong response and also blamed foreign countries for the attack.

"This crime is another spot of shame on the black resume of the prime supporters of terrorism in the White House, Tel Aviv, and regional agents who both make ludicrous and arrogant actions toward Iran phobia and also claim to be fighting terrorism and creating security in the Middle East.”

Rouhani also indirectly addressed Pakistan while speaking to reporters before traveling to Sochi to meet with his Russian and Turkish counterparts. He asked neighboring countries to not allow "terrorists to take advantage of their territory.”

"If this continues and they cannot stop the terrorists, from a legal and international regulations viewpoint it is clear that we have rights and at the necessary time we will use these rights.”

All of the casualties were from an IRGC unit in Isfahan. The IRGC had previously taken over border control after a number of attacks on conscript border guards. The bus in which they were attacked by a suicide bomber was traveling from Khash to Zahedan.

The IRGC fired missiles at Daesh terrorists in Syria in 2017 and 2018 after the group claimed responsibility for two attacks in Tehran and Ahvaz. Last year, the Guards launched missiles at a terrorist group in northern Iraq.

Wednesday’s terrorist attack comes during a month in which Iran has been commemorating the 1979 Islamic Revolution which swept the U.S.-backed Shah from power.

Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said it was not coincidental that terrorists attacked on the same day that the anti-Iran summit organized by the United States kicked off in Poland.

Messages of condemnation and condolences have poured in from across the world but the U.S. and its Arab allies in the Persian Gulf have remained silent.

On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms” the "heinous and cowardly” attack as it expressed sympathy with the Iranian government and families of the victims.

"Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” reaffirmed the council.

It also underlined the need to hold "perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.”

The council further urged all states "to cooperate actively” with the Iranian government to combat "by all means” threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Source: Keyhan