A suicide bomber killed at least two senior commanders of Iran's Revolutionary GuardsOctober 18, 2009 - 17:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A suicide bomber killed at least two senior commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the country's southeast Sunday during an attack in which 60 people died or were wounded, Iranian media reported.State television suggested that a Sunni rebel group called Jundollah (God's soldiers) -- linked by some analysts to the Taliban -- was the likely suspect for the most severe attack on the Revolutionary Guards in recent years. "Attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body during gathering of tribal heads," state Press TV said in a headline, adding that civilians and tribal leaders were also among the victims. The Revolutionary Guards blamed "foreign elements" linked to the United States for the killings, which underlined deepening instability in Iran's southeast bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan. Tehran accuses the United States of backing Jundollah to create instability in the country but Washington denies this. State broadcaster IRIB said the attack occurred in the morning at the gates of a conference hall in the city of Sarbaz in Sistan-Baluchestan. The province is the scene of frequent clashes between security forces, Sunni rebels and drug traffickers. The two high-ranking commanders were the deputy head of the Guards' ground forces, General Nourali Shoushtari, and the Guards' commander in Sistan-Baluchestan province, General Mohammadzadeh, news agencies reported. Shoushtari was also a senior official of the Guard's elite Qods force, media said. Citing authorities and experts, a presenter of English-language Press TV said "the finger of accusation is directly pointed at the Jundollah group," referring to ethnic Baluch Sunni insurgents who have been blamed for previous attacks in the region, Reuters reported. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Mirzoyan says meeting with Bayramov was “constructive” At the moment, Ararat Mirzoyan said, there is no basis for additional comments. OSCE vows support for Armenia “in all three directions of security” Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. 151 detained as civil disobedience campaigns continue in Yerevan Citizens have been blocking streets in the Armenian capital, demanding Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation. France welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan meeting in Almaty France has welcomed the new round of negotiations between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. |