Iran Condemns Terrorist Attack on Shiite Mourners in Saudi Arabia
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned a Monday terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia’s eastern district of al-Ahsa that killed and wounded several Shiite Muslim worshippers performing mourning rituals in commemoration of Imam Hossein (PBUH).
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham on Tuesday called on Riyadh to identify and bring to justice perpetrators of the tragic terrorist incident.
She also urged the Saudi government to ensure security of people during the religious ceremonies.
The spokeswoman described the mourning ceremonies to mark the martyrdom anniversary of the descendants of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as a holy rite in the Islamic communities, noting that governments in either the Muslim and non-Muslim countries have been respecting the ceremonies and have also been providing security for the worshippers commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hossein, Shiite Muslims third Imam and Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson.
Saudi Arabia’s state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday that gunmen shot dead at least five people in the Eastern Province in what local residents said was an attack on Shiite Muslim worshippers.
An interior ministry spokesman said six people had been arrested in connection with the attack in al-Dalwah village, SPA reported.
"As a group of citizens was leaving a building ... three masked men opened fire at them with machine guns and pistols," the spokesman said, according to SPA, adding that the incident was under investigation.