Suicide bombing kills 3 in Iranian port city of Chabahar, India condemns attack

Tehran, December 6

A suicide car bomber attacked a police headquarters in the southeastern Iranian port city of Chabahar on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding several others, state TV reported.

State television broke into its regular broadcast to report the attack as such assaults are rare in the Islamic Republic.

Rahmdel Bameri, a provincial official, told state TV that a suicide attacker driving a vehicle loaded with explosives drove up to the police headquarters.

He said police officers blocked the vehicle and started firing at the driver, who then detonated his explosives.

State authorities did not identify who was behind the attack. No militant group immediately took responsibility for the attack. State TV also aired footage of smoke rising over the city.

Chabahar, near Iran’s border with Pakistan on the Sea of Oman, is home to a new port recently built and is an economic free zone for the country.

The attack comes as Iran’s economy reels in the wake of the US re-imposing sanctions lifted by Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

While Iran still complies with the accord, President Donald Trump withdrew America over the deal in part due to Tehran’s ballistic missile programme, its “malign behaviour” in the Mideast and its support of militant groups like Hezbollah.

Iran has been targeted in recent years by militant attacks.

In September, gunmen disguised as soldiers opened fire on a military parade in Ahvaz, killing and wounding dozens.

Arab separatists and the Islamic State group both claimed the assault.

Another coordinated June 7, 2017 Islamic State group assault on parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 50. 

Meanwhile, India has strongly condemned the terror attack at Chabahar port, an important transit into Afghanistan and Central Asia. Reacting to the attack, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India strongly condemns today's despicable terrorist attack in Chabahar, Iran. We express our condolences to the government and the people of Iran and the families of the victims of this attack.” 

“We wish speedy recovery to those injured. The perpetrators behind this dastardly attack should be brought to justice expeditiously. There can be no justification for any act of terror,” added Kumar. — AP/TNS