2008 Shiraz explosion

The 2008 Shiraz bombing was an April 12, 2008 explosion that occurred during prayers at the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz. Fourteen people were killed and 202 were injured.^[1] Around 800 people, which were mostly youth, were gathered at the Mosque to hear sermons which usually include sermons attacking the Wahabi denomination of Sunni Islam and the Bahá'í Faith.^[2]

The deputy governor of the province, Mohammad Reza Hadaegh, told IRIB an investigation was under way.^[3] Iranian officials first stated that the blast was not a terrorist attack, but caused by leftover munitions that were on display in the mosque as part of an exhibition commemorating Iran's 1980-1988 war against Iraq.^[4] However, in May, Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said the blast was an act of terrorism and 12 terrorists had been arrested before attacking the Russian Consulate and religious centers in Qom.^[5] Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei accused United States and Britain of involvement in the bombing and attempted to press charges against the two countries.^{[6] [7] [8]}

An Iranian monarchist group calling itself the Soldiers of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, (Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran), claimed responsibility for the bombing.^[9][10]

In November 2008, Iran sentenced three men to death after they were convicted of the bombing.^[11] One of these men, Mehdi Eslamian, was hanged with four others on May 9, 2010. His brother had previously been hanged for the bombing.^[12]

Victims

List of victims^{[13] [14]}

See also

• Ahvaz bombings
• 2007 Zahedan bombings

References