Iran Condemns Istanbul Terrorist Attack
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the terrorist bombing in central Istanbul that has left at least eight people dead and 81 others wounded.
"We strongly condemn whatever act of terrorism that targets the country and people of Turkey," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Sunday.
"We stand by the side of the friendly and brotherly government and people of the Turkish republic," he added, wishing speedy recovery for those who were wounded in the tragic incident.
The explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul on Sunday, in an incident that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labelled an attack that “smells like terrorism”.
The area, in the Beyoglu district of Turkey’s largest city, had been crowded as usual at the weekend with shoppers, tourists and families.
Turkish Interior minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters on Monday that the suspect in custody was the “person who left the bomb that caused the explosion” on a busy thoroughfare in Turkey’s largest city.
Soylu blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for Sunday’s blast on Istiklal Avenue, saying, “Our assessment is that the order for the deadly terror attack came from Ayn al-Arab in northern Syria,” where he said the group has its Syrian headquarters.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blast yet.