|
Iran Focus
 Tehran, Iran,
Mar. 09 – Iran’s Minister
of Intelligence and Security said on Thursday that authorities had identified
and apprehended more than 50 people in connection with the recent spate of
bombings in the oil-rich province of
Khuzestan in south-western Iran.
“Unfortunately, these individuals had ties to the enemies of the Islamic
Republic of Iran abroad”, Hojjatoleslam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ezhei
told the official state news agency during a visit to the south-western city
of Khorramshahr in Khuzestan Province.
“These individuals are currently in detention and will soon be handed over to
the judicial officials”, Mohseni-Ezhei said.
There were several spates of bombings in the troubled region earlier this
year and in 2005. Ahwaz,
the capital of the Arab-dominated province, has been the scene of unremitting
anti-government protests since early 2005.
“Our enemies are trying to strike a blow at the Islamic Republic and these
disturbances are influenced by the efforts of the enemies of the sacred
Islamic Republic”, he added.
Last week, the radical Shiite cleric who heads the Islamic Republic’s dreaded
secret police repeated the charge that the attackers were guided from abroad.
A string of top Iranian officials including hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Britain of
being behind the bombings.
London has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.
|