ISIS claims Tehran terror attack that killed at least 12

Jun 7, 2017 | News

A boy is evacuated during an attack on the Iranian parliament in central Tehran, Iran. (Courtesy: Omid Vahabzadeh/TIMA via REUTERS)

By Reid Goodison & Matt Hodder

Today’s coordinated terror attacks on Iran’s parliament and tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini left at least 12 people dead and 39 injured, local media reports.

The two attacks began simultaneously and Iran’s Intelligence Ministry says a third attack was prevented.

ISIS media outlet Amaq quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, but did not back this claim up with evidence.

The attack came as a shock to Iran, which has been largely untouched by recent conflicts surrounding it. The last major attack in Iran was in 2010.

Attackers wearing women’s clothing entered the parliament building through the main gate and opened fire at about 10 a.m. local time.

One of the men later detonated a suicide bomb.

The attackers allegedly took as many as four hostages. Mehr News Agency reported the husbands and a daughter of two female parliament members were among the hostages taken.

After about four hours all of the attackers had been killed, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

At the same time as the attack on the parliament building, another attack was made on the Ayatollah Khomeini mausoleum involving a shooting spree and a suicide bomb.

Speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, called the attacks a “minor issue.”

Other media outlets have not been able to confirm all of the details.

The targets of these attacks possess symbolic significance.

The parliament building houses Iran’s primary legislative body, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, or Majlis. Some of the 290 lawmakers are members of minorities and underrepresented groups, such as women, Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians.

The mausoleum is home to the remains of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 that overthrew the Shah and installed him as the Supreme Leader of the newly-established Islamic Republic of Iran.

The mausoleum is also a popular destination for both tourists and pilgrims.