Islamic State threatens more attacks against Iran

The Islamic State jihadist group is threatening to carry out new attacks in Iran, days after it claimed a deadly shooting at a military parade in the country’s southwest.

Iran is “flimsier than a spider’s web, and with God’s help, what comes will be worse and more bitter,” the group said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Iranian authorities have blamed “jihadist separatists” for the assault Saturday in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, which killed 24 people including a four-year-old child and other civilians.

Iranian officials initially blamed Arab separatists, who they claimed were behind previous unrest, for the attack, saying they were backed by Gulf Arab allies of the United States.

But IS was also quick to claim responsibility and later posted a video of men it said were the attackers.

In a three-minute audio recording released today, the Sunni jihadist group’s spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir says Iran “had not recovered from the fearful shock, which God willing will not be the last.”

— AFP