Sushma Swaraj joins Russia and France in condemning terror attacks in Iran

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked Iran’s parliament and the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran, killing at least 12 people.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif on Wednesday and condemned the terrorist attacks on the institution of democracy and spirituality in Tehran.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj(Reuters)

The external affairs ministry said that in a pre-scheduled telephone conversation, the minister offered sincere condolences on loss of innocent lives and expressed solidarity with the people and the government of Iran.

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked Iran’s parliament and the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran on Wednesday morning, killing at least 12 people in a twin assault at the heart of the Islamic Republic, Iranian officials and media said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility and released a video purporting to show gunmen inside the parliament building and one body, apparently dead, on the floor.

Iranian policemen evacuate a child from the parliament building in Tehran on June 7, 2017 during an attack on the complex. (AFP)

The rare attacks were the first claimed by the hardline Sunni Muslim militant group inside in the tightly controlled Shi’ite Muslim country. Islamic State has regularly threatened Iran, one of the powers leading the fight against the militants’ forces in neighbouring Iraq and, beyond that, Syria.

Several countries condemned the attacks and extended their support to Iran.

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences after the attacks. In a message released by the Kremlin after Wednesday’s attacks, Putin said Russia “resolutely condemns” the violence.

Putin said the attacks underscore the need for deeper international cooperation to fight terrorism and confirmed Moscow’s willingness to aid Iran.

Pakistan

Pakistan condemned the Islamic State-claimed terror attacks on Iran’s parliament and the shrine of its revolutionary leader in Tehran and said it stands in solidarity with people of the neighbouring country.

“We offer our deep condolences to the people of Iran, the government, and the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” it said.

France

France’s foreign ministry released a statement strongly condemning the attacks. “We strongly condemn the attacks that targeted the Iranian parliament and the Imam Khomenei mausoleum in Tehran,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

It said its embassy was monitoring the situation and passed on its condolences to the families of the victims.

Qatar

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned attacks in the Iranian capital, according to a statement on its official website.

“The State of Qatar has condemned and denounced the two attacks which took place in the Iranian capital Tehran and left many people killed and injured,” it said.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE also condemned the twin attacks claimed by the Islamic State.

“Our position on terrorism is very clear ... Any terrorist attack in any country, in any capital, directed at innocent people is something that the UAE abhors and the UAE condemns,” state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash told AFP.

Germany

Germany on Wednesday condemned “in the strongest terms” the twin attacks that killed 12 people in Iran.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said “once again, unscrupulous criminals have killed many innocent people”.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the attacks in the Iranian parliament building and the tomb of the revolutionary leader (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini,” he said in a statement.