Iran Court Sentences Two to Death Over Deadly Shrine Attack

Voice of America
19 Mar 2023, 02:06 GMT+10

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - An Iranian court has handed out death sentences to two men over an attack on a Shi'ite shrine in Iran that killed 15 people in October and was claimed by the militant group Islamic State, the official news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

Fars Province judiciary head Kazem Mousavi said the two men had been found guilty of charges including 'spreading corruption on earth' and acting against national security, IRNA reported, adding that the sentences can be appealed.

CCTV footage broadcast on state TV showed the attacker entering the popular Shah Cheragh shrine in the southern city of Shiraz after hiding an assault rifle in a bag and shooting as worshippers tried to flee and hide in corridors.

The gunman, identified as a citizen of Tajikistan, later died in a hospital from injuries sustained during the attack.

The two men sentenced to death said during the trial they had been in contact with the Islamic State in neighboring Afghanistan and helped organize the attack, Iranian media reported.

Three other men received jail sentences ranging from five to 25 years in the trial, Mousavi said, adding that several other 'Daesh [Islamic State] suspects linked to this case' were awaiting trial.

Islamic State, which once posed a security threat across the Middle East, has claimed previous violence in Iran, including deadly twin attacks in 2017 that targeted parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Reuters
Subscribe

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Middle East Star.

More Information

null in null

International Business

Section

Shell rejects claim of early merger talks with BP

LONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...

Trump-backed crypto project gets $100 million boost from UAE fund

LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....

Eurozone inflation rate reaches 2 pct in June

The inflation is driven by the price of services, which recorded a yearly inflation rate of 3.3 percent in June, up from 3.2 percent...

Emirates layers on retrofitted aircraft with latest product, including Premium Economy to more cities

DUBAI, 1st July 2025 (WAM) -- Emirates will be layering on more retrofitted Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s on its existing schedules...

TVS Motors sold record 12.77 lakh units in April-June FY26; EV sales decline amid magnets shortage

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 1 (ANI): TVS Motor Company has recorded its highest-ever quarterly sales in the first quarter of...

Will the ECB Control Bulgarias Budget After Euro Adoption

A video posted on Facebook by Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the Revival party, claims that once Bulgaria joins the eurozone on January...

International

Section