The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on Iran’s parliament and the Ayatollah Khomeini shrine on Wednesday. 12 dead and 39 injured.
Both terror attacks took place simultaneously. Iran’s intelligence ministry says the twin incidents were carried out by terrorist groups.
“Fighters from Islamic state attacked Khomeini’s shrine and the Iranian parliament in Tehran,” the group’s state news agency AMAQ said.
Terror Attack on Iranian parliament in Tehran: 7 dead
The assailants dressed as women to gain entry to the parliament building, said Iran’s deputy interior minister.
One attacker was shot dead while another blew himself up in the legislative building.
The situation is ongoing and the assailants are surrounded, says the minister.
Lawmaker Elias Hazrati said three assailants, one with a pistol and two with AK-47 assault rifles, raided parliament, according the state television website.
ISNA news agency quoted a member of the parliament as saying that all the parliament doors were shut and one of the assailants was surrounded by the security forces.
“I was inside the parliament when shooting happened. Everyone was shocked and scared. I saw two men shooting randomly,” said one journalist at the scene, who asked not to be named.
Suicide attack mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini
In a separate incident, one attacker detonated a suicide vest at the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini in southern Tehran, one was killed by the security forces and the rest of the assailants were arrested, the Governor of Tehran was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB.
Both terror attacks took place simultaneously. Iran’s intelligence ministry says the twin incidents were carried out by terrorist groups.