Iran arrests two Islamic State members: media

Iran says it arrested two members of the Islamic State group who were allegedly planning to carry out an attack at one of the country's most important shrines.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

02 April, 2024

IS has claimed attacks in Iran before, including the Kerman twin bombings which killed over 90 people [Getty]

Iran arrested two alleged Islamic State group members in the holy city of Qom, local media reported on Tuesday.

"In recent days, thanks to the efforts of the intelligence agents in the military and security forces, two terrorists belonging to the takfiri group Islamic State in Khorasan (IS-K) were arrested," Mehr News Agency said.

In Shia-dominated Iran, the term takfiri generally refers to jihadists or proponents of radical Sunni Islam.

The agency didn't specify the nationality of the two men but published their photos, adding that they were planning to enter the holy shrine in Qom, one of the most important in the country.

An unprecedented attack in Moscow on March 22, that killed more than 140 people, was claimed by IS-K, a branch of IS active in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In January, IS carried out twin bombing attacks in the southern Iranian city of Kerman, killing more than 90 people during a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the death of Qassem Soleimani, a top Revolutionary Guards general killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020.