Echoes of Kim Jong-un
The saber rattling coming out of Iran this week is growing louder and becoming very reminiscent of some other authoritarian rulers we’ve come to know. In case you missed it, there was a terror attack in Iran this morning in the western city of Ahvaz and it was a significant one. A military parade was being held to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Iran-Iraq war when a group of terrorists opened fire on the gathering, killing or injuring nearly eighty people. As CNN reports, it was over fairly quickly, but the carnage was significant.
At least 24 people were killed and 53 others injured in an attack on a military parade in Iran’s southwestern city of Ahvaz on Saturday, Iran’s state news IRNA said.
The dead and wounded were both military personnel and civilians including a journalist who were watching the parade, IRNA added.
“Terrorists began shooting from a long distance while inside the park, at the armed forces as well as civilians watching the parade,” Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarch, a spokesman for the Iranian armed forces told MEHR, another Iranian news agency.
There wasn’t much question as to who did it. The Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz claimed responsibility almost immediately. That group is widely understood to be backed and funded by the Saudi Arabian government. This Arab separatist group is largely composed of Shia Muslims of various ethnicities who are seeking independence from Iran. This makes them natural allies of Suadi Arabia, a nation with very little affection for Iran.
In that regard, it wasn’t too surprising for Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif to quickly blame the Saudis.
