'More than 20 dead' in suicide bomb blasts in Iran

15 July 2010 Last updated at 21:59 GMT


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'More than 20 dead' in suicide bomb blasts in Iran

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More than 20 people have been killed and scores injured in a suspected twin suicide bomb attack at a Shia mosque in Iran, officials say.



Iranian state media said at least 100 were hurt in the blasts outside the Jamia mosque in the south-eastern city of Zahedan.



The attacks, in a largely Sunni area, were the work of suicide bombers, the reports said.



Members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard were reportedly among the dead.



The city, capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, has been targeted before by the Sunni rebel group Jundullah (Soldiers of God), whose leader Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged last month.



Al-Arabiya television station said it had received an e-mail purporting to be from Jundullah, saying the group had carried out Thursday's attacks in response to the execution of Mr Rigi.

'Suicide operation'



The blasts came as worshippers celebrated the anniversary of the birth of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.



"The [first] attacker, dressed in women's clothing, was trying to get in the mosque, but was prevented," local member of parliament Hossein Ali Shahriari told Fars news agency.



"When people came to rescue those hit in that blast, another bomber blew himself up. Three to four have been killed at least in the first attack."



Deputy Interior Minister Ali Abdollahi described the attack as a "suicide operation", AFP news agency said.