Thousands packed Tehran’s streets on Friday to mourn the victims of two suicide bomb and gun attacks, and joined their supreme leader in accusing regional rival Saudi Arabia of involvement in the assaults.
People in the crowds, some crying, chanted “Death to Saudi Arabia" alongside the more customary "Death to America" and slogans against Israel, as they reached out to touch coffins wrapped in flags and covered in flowers.
Bombers and gunmen killed 17 people in Iran's parliament and near the mausoleum of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, on Wednesday, in rare strikes on the capital that exacerbated regional tensions.
The Sunni Muslim militants of Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Shi'ite Muslim state.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message read at the funeral, said the raids would increase hatred for Saudi Arabia, the region's main Sunni power, and America.
"It (the attacks) will not damage our nation's determination to fight terrorism ... but will only increase hatred for the governments of the United States and their stooges in the region like the Saudis," Khamenei said. Saudi Arabia has said it was not involved.
MORE ARRESTS
Mourners chanted "God is greatest" and some carried pictures of Khamenei, captioned: "We are ready to sacrifice our blood for you."
President Hassan Rouhani, a pragmatist more open to contacts with the West, attended the funeral alongside other clerics and officials. He said the attacks had targeted peace and democracy, but stopped short of blaming foreign powers.
The attacks came at a particularly charged time in the region, days after Riyadh and other Sunni Muslim powers cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of backing Tehran and militant groups.
The raids were the first claimed by Islamic State inside tightly controlled Iran, one of the powers leading the fight against the militants in Iraq and Syria.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry said on Thursday five of the attackers were Iranian nationals recruited by Islamic State who had fought in the militants' main strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
On Friday, the ministry said 41 suspects had been arrested around the country in connection with the attacks.
"With the help of security forces and families of the suspects, 41 people linked to the attacks and to Daesh (Islamic State) have been arrested in different provinces," state TV quoted the interior ministry as saying.
"Lots of documents and weaponry have been seized as well."
Two Sunni militant groups, Jaish al-Adl and Jundallah, have been waging an insurgency in Iran, mostly in remote areas, for almost a decade.
Reuters
Fri Jun 09 2017
People attend the funeral of the victims who were killed on the June 7 attack at the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini's mausoleum, in Tehran, Iran June 9, 2017. TIMA via REUTERS.
Selangor sasar noktah miskin tegar Julai ini - MB
Majlis Tindakan Pembangunan Negeri Selangor merekodkan sejumlah 861 keluarga masih berada dalam kategori miskin tegar.
Mesir-Perancis bincang gencatan senjata, bantuan kemanusiaan di Gaza
Mereka menekankan keperluan segera untuk gencatan senjata dan membincangkan beberapa inisiatif yang bertujuan menyelesaikan krisis tersebut.
Kitaro di Festival Muzik Hutan Hujan Dunia 2024
Kitaro bakal membuat persembahan pada Festival Muzik Hutan Hujan Dunia (RWMF) 2024 pada 28-30 Jun ini.
PH kerja keras pertahan DUN KKB, tidak mahu berasa selesa
Walaupun berjaya menguasai kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) selama tiga penggal sejak 2013, namun ia bukanlah tiket untuk Pakatan Harapan (PH) berasa selesa.
MDKpr nafi curi haiwan ternakan dalam kandang
Ahmad Suqairy berkata haiwan itu ditangkap dalam operasi oleh Bahagian Penguatkuasaan MDKpr pada 23 Apr lalu di kawasan Kolej TAR.
488 acara dipertandingkan di SUKMA Sarawak 2024 - MSN
Jawatankuasa Tertinggi Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) secara rasmi bersetuju menawarkan sejumlah 488 acara dipertandingkan pada temasya SUKMA Sarawak 2024.
Petronas Dagangan catat jualan lebih 16 bilion liter bahan api pada 2023
PDB merekodkan peningkatan perolehan sebanyak dua peratus didorong jumlah jualan lebih tinggi dan keuntungan selepas cukai yang meningkat.
Aset rizab rasmi Malaysia berjumlah AS$113.76 bilion pada akhir Mac - BNM
Aset rizab rasmi Malaysia berjumlah AS$113.76 bilion pada akhir Mac 2024 manakala aset mata wang asing lain adalah US$1.61 bilion, kata Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
Kemunculan Momota di gelanggang pastinya dirindui - Pemain badminton dunia
Momota bakal bersara daripada arena sukan badminton antarabangsa selepas Piala Thomas 2024 yang sedang berlangsung di Chengdu.
Akta Sewaan Kediaman perlu digubal segera bagi pelihara hak pemilik, penyewa
Pertubuhan Sewaan Kediaman Kebangsaan hari ini meminta kerajaan menggubal Akta Sewaan Kediaman dengan segera bagi memastikan hak pemilik kediaman dan penyewa sentiasa terpelihara di negara ini.
Iran telah pamer kekuatannya kepada Israel - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei puji angkatan tentera negara itu atas "kejayaan" mereka selepas Tehran melancarkan serangan ke atas Israel.
Biden ikrar sokong Israel sekiranya diserang Iran
AS akan terus melindungi keselamatan Israel sekalipun ketika Biden dan Netanyahu sering tidak sependapat konflik di Palestin.
Iran sekali lagi gesa negara Islam putus hubungan dengan Israel
Gesaan itu dibuat pemimpin tertinggi Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pada Selasa.
Iran seru negara Islam boikot Israel
Menyokong perjuangan Palestin telah menjadi tonggak politik republik Islam itu sejak Revolusi Islam 1979.
Kerajaan Iran perkenal aplikasi cari jodoh buat golongan muda
Hamdam atau dalam bahasa Parsi bermaksud berteman' merupakan aplikasi cari jodoh berlandaskan syariah.
Dakwa vaksin AS, Britain 'tidak boleh dipercayai', tweet Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dipadam
Ia susulan hantaran tersebut dikatakan melanggar peraturan media sosial itu.
Permusuhan Tehran-Washington tidak akan tamat sekalipun Trump sudah berundur - Khamenei
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mengulangi pendirian bahawa permusuhan Tehran dengan Washington tidak akan tamat walaupun Donald Trump sudah berundur dari White House.
COVID-19: Iran wajibkan pemakaian pelitup muka
Imej pemimpin agung Ayatollah Ali Khamenei memakai topeng turut diterbitkan kerajaan bagi menggalakkan rakyat berbuat demikian.
Iran mohon pinjaman untuk perangi wabak COVID-19
Bank Negara Iran mengumumkan akan memohon pinjaman sebanyak US$5 bilion kepada Tabung Kewangan Antarabangsa untuk memerangi wabak COVID-19.
COVID-19: Seorang lagi ahli politik Iran meninggal dunia
Sheikholeslam bertugas sebagai penasihat kepada Menteri Luar Negara, Javad Zarif.