Iran attacks highlights: Parliament siege over, 4 attackers killed; 12 dead, 42 wounded in Tehran
Iran’s parliament and mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran were hit in near-simultaneous attacks that have reportedly killed at least 12 people and wounding 42. All four attackers belonged to Islamic State have been killed.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency says the siege at parliament is over and that four attackers have been killed.
Gunmen and suicide bombers attacked parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on Wednesday, killing at least two security guards and wounding more than 40 people.
The Islamic State group claimed both attacks.
PHOTOS: Shootings, suicide bombings rock Iranian Parliament and Khomeini Shrine
The Sunni extremist group is at war with Iranian-backed groups in Syria and Iran and views Iran’s Shia majority as apostates deserving of death.
The attack on parliament, which was in session at the time, lasted more than three hours. Police surrounded the building and gunfire could be heard from outside.
Iranian media says several attackers, including suicide bombers, took part in the assaults on both sites, with the all the 4 attackers being killed by the forces. Lawmakers were in session at the time of the attack, and have been ordered to remain in place.
Here are the live updates:
6.15pm:
5.30pm: Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif condemns Tehran attacks, says terrorism is global issue: Press TV
5.01pm: Intelligence minister says foiled third attack, Reuters.
4.39pm:
4.33pm: 12 killed, 39 wounded in Tehran attacks: Emergency chief
4.15pm: Russia condemns Iran attacks, urges ‘coordination’ against Islamic State: Reuters
4.09pm: All terrorists at Iran’s Parliament killed, situation returns to normal, local media reports
4.03pm:
3.53pm: Suspects arrested following terrorist attack at Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum being interrogated: Press TV.
3:49pm: Two terrorists still at the parliament, local media reports.
3:43pm: Husbands and daughter of two female MPs reportedly taken hostage by terrorists: Mehr News Agency reports.
3:41pm: Deputy interior minister says attackers are now surrounded in the parliament building: Tasnim News Agency. “One of the attackers was shot dead in the parliament, one detonated a suicide vest.”
3:40pm: Iran’s deputy interior minister says attackers dressed as women entered the parliament from main gate: Tasnim News Agency
3:37pm: “Assailants had received special training to commit acts of terror,” Iran MP tells local media.
3:35pm: No disruption in air travel despite terrorist attacks, airport official tells Tasnim News Agency.
3:24pm:
3:20pm: ”Iran is a close friend of Pakistan and we strongly condemn the terrorist attack,” Pakistan former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tells state media.
3:10pm: “This is a minor issue but reveals that the terrorists pursue troublemaking,” says parliament speaker: State media.
3:05pm: 8 grenades, 10 magazines, a bottle filled with pink fluid were being carried by a neutralised terrorist at mausoleum, local media reports.
3:02pm: Parliament speaker Ali Larijani says terrorist shooting inside parliament a minor incident; security forces are fully capable of handling the “cowardly attackers”: Mehr News Agency.
3:00pm: Lawmakers were in session at the time of the parliament attack, and have been ordered to remain in place, says Iranian media.
2:56pm: One terrorist blows himself up in Parliament: State media quoting official
2:42pm: Head of anti-terrorism department in the Iranian intelligence ministry says they have foiled another terrorist plot and have arrested “a terrorist team”, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
2:40pm: Islamic State claims responsibility for attack at Iranian parliament, the group’s state news agency AMAQ said.
2:30pm: Iran intelligence ministry says one bomber shot dead before detonating vest, another blows self up at Imam’s mausoleum: State TV.
2:20pm: Second suicide bombing at Iran shrine: State TV
2:15pm:
2:10pm: Explosion heard at parliament building; gunmen were carrying explosive vest: State media.
2:08pm: Tehran governor says one attacker killed by security, one blew herself up, others arrested. One gardener killed by gunmen: Mehr News Agency.
2:04pm: Suicide bombing at Iran parliament complex: State TV
2:00pm: Tehran security council starts emergency meeting, says local news agency.
1:57pm: Iran’s intelligence ministry says twin attacks in Tehran carried out by terrorist groups: State TV
1:55pm: Unconfirmed reports say seven people killed in parliament shooting spree: Tasnim news agency.
1:54pm: Tasnim news agency said there were unconfirmed reports that the attackers had taken four hostages inside the parliament building.
1:50pm: Two attackers arrested in surrounding areas of Khomeini mausoleum, Tasnim News Agency says.
1:45pm: “I was inside the parliament when shooting happened. Everyone was shocked and scared. I saw two men shooting randomly,” a journalist at the scene, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
1:43pm: The scene outside the Parliament
1:40pm: Three attackers killed in Imam Khomeini shrine, says state media.
1:35pm:
1:33pm: At least one hostage now confirmed in attack on parliament, Iran News Now reports.
1:29pm: Parliament’s cultural and public relations director general Mahdi Kiaie says security forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps controlling the situation.
1:25pm: State TV says traffic ban enforced in streets near Parliament building in Tehran.
1:21pm: Conditions in parliament under control, says official: State media
1:20pm: One attacker of Iran Parliament arrested, reports state news agency IRNA.
1:19pm: One of the gunmen trapped inside as parliament is under siege by security forces, says state media.
1:17pm:
1:15pm: Iran’s interior minister Rahmani Fazli issues an order to hold an extraordinary security session in Tehran to investigate the shooting incidents at the Parliament and the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini: Mehr News Agency.
1:11pm: A security guard was killed at the parliament, while a gardener was killed at Khomeini’s mausoleum, the ISNA news agency reported.
1:06pm: Suicide bomber in Imam Khomeini shrine was reportedly a woman. She blew up herself outside shrine on western yard, says Mehr News Agency.
1:04pm: Two killed in attacks on Iran parliament, shrine: media reports.
1:04pm:
1:02pm: Lawmaker Elias Hazrati tells state television three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, raided parliament.
1:00pm: Four attackers in parliament shooting, 8 people wounded, says Iran state TV.
12:59pm: An armed man entered at the western entrance of the mausoleum and opened fire before blowing himself up with a suicide vest, the site’s head of public relations Ali Khalili told the IRNA news agency.
12:57pm: The gunmen entered the parliament building via the north entrance, says state media.
12:55pm: Following the shooting, the pilgrims are locked inside the shrine of Imam Khomeini (RA) in order to maintain security.
12:53pm: Parliament session going on normally, broadcast live on national radio, despite gunmen attack, reports Mehr News Agency.
12:50pm: State TV says one of the attackers has been killed by security guards and a woman was arrested at the shrine following Wednesday’s attack.
12:45pm: The ILNA news agency said five people had been injured by shooting at the mausoleum.
12:40pm: News agency ISNA reported one person killed but it was unclear if that meant the suicide bomber.
12:37pm: Four ‘terrorists,’ including suicide bomber, attack Khomeini shrine, reports Iran state TV.
12: 35pm: News agencies ISNA and Fars said three people had been shot at the parliament, including at least one security guard.
12:30pm: An apparently coordinated attack took place at the mausoleum of Iranian revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini, Fars reported.
12: 15pm: News agency Mehr reported that eight people were injured in the Parliament shooting while one person was killed and five injured at Imam Khomeini’s shrine.
12: 10pm: IRIB and Fars said an armed man was inside the mausoleum in southern Tehran, around 20km from the parliament building, with reports of several injuries.
12:00pm: Iranian media says a man has opened fire inside the parliament building, wounding a security guard in an attack that is still underway.