2017 Tehran attacks

The Iranian government had been battling the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for over three years with both military advisers and direct troops fighting the group's militants in both Iraq and Syria. ISIL, whose doctrine was based on the stringent Wahhabi segment of Sunni Islam, saw Shia Muslims, the largest Muslim population group in Iran, as apostates and enemies of Islam. Nonetheless, ISIL had yet to carry out any attacks within Iran despite repeatedly threatening the nation's people. In the months before the attack, ISIL increased its propaganda efforts in Persian to influence Iran's Sunni minority. The comments attracted condemnation from Iranians such as Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif. ==Parliament attack==

According to a statement given by Hossein Zolfaghari, the Iranian deputy Minister of Interior, to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, four militants entered the Parliament's administrative building disguised as women. although the Iranian government denied this. Associated Press reported that journalists at the site had seen police snipers on nearby rooftops. Shops in the neighborhood were closed. Eyewitnesses said that the gunmen were shooting at people in the street from the fourth floor of the parliament building. A team of the special forces made their way to the upper floors of the parliament and killed one of the terrorists which made the two others begin shooting indiscriminately at people. This shooting revealed their position to the forces. Meanwhile, IRGC forces killed another terrorist before he detonated his suicide vest. The Iranian government later stated that four gunmen had been killed. ==Mausoleum attack==

The attack on the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini took place at 10:30 am on 7 June 2017, and the fact that it occurred around the same time as the strike against the Iranian parliament immediately aroused suspicion that the two were coordinated as "twin attacks". According to the New York Times, the attacks lasted for several hours. BBC reported that a suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the mausoleum. The counter-terrorism operation in the Ayatollah Khomeini's shrine was conducted by NAJA. According to NAJA, the attackers who attempted to enter the shrine were taken down by police snipers. One of the terrorists who was shot detonated himself, but the explosion did not harm any other people. Another terrorist started firing at both civilians and police forces; this resulted in one death and five individuals being injured, including a nearby policeman. ==Timeline of attacks==

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the attacks. The attackers were reportedly under the leadership of a commander with the nom de guerre of Abu Aisha. ==Identity of the attackers==

The Intelligence Ministry (VEVAK) released a statement on 8 June 2017 that detailed information on the five attackers and affiliated terrorist cells. It was announced that the full identities of the assailants had been determined after intelligence work by the Ministry, and only the militants' first names were released given that surnames had to be withheld due to certain social and security considerations. According to the Intelligence Ministry, the five individuals involved in carrying out the attacks had a history of past terrorist activities and links to groups with extremist, Wahhabi and Takfiri related beliefs. The statement said that the five had left Iran after being recruited by ISIL and had participated in the terrorist group's activities in the Iraqi city of Mosul and the Syrian city of Raqqah. It additionally said they had re-entered Iran in August 2016. Reportedly under the command of "Abu Ayesheh", a high-ranking commander within ISIL, they planned to carry out terror attacks in religious cities. However, the militants had reportedly fled the country following the destruction of their particular network and blows dealt to ISIL leadership. Before the publication of the statement, Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi had said that it was still soon to judge whether Saudi Arabia had had a role in the attacks in Tehran. "We witnessed heavy pressure from terrorists, to the extent that we have been identifying and arresting two-member and three-member teams or single individuals every week", said Alavi. ==Other allegations==

Iranian government officials later stated that they thwarted a third attack, ==Iranian government response==

Iranian authorities such as members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs (Javad Zarif) have accused Saudi Arabia of being behind the attacks. The People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) was also accused by Iranian authorities, accusations which the MEK denies. On 13 June, the main IRGC Commander, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, stated that the terrorists carried out their actions at the demand of Riyadh. He declared, "We have precise intelligence showing that unfortunately, Saudi Arabia in addition to supporting the terrorists, has demanded them to conduct operations in Iran." The videos of Closed-circuit cameras of the parliament entrance gate showed no ladies wear (but guns in bags) however in the short video Amaq News Agency of the ISIS broadcast from inside Parliament, there were 6 video frames showing the hand of a woman as the cameraman 5 days after 2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard to the ISIS positions in Syria as the retaliation to the attacks, Mahdi Falahati (fa) in the "LastPage" TV program of the VOA-PNN, on the Friday 25 July, Also with regarding to the recent ballistic US resolutions dates and the Revolutionary Guard counterattack date Falahati talked to the chief clerk of the whistleblower AmadNews (fa), Roohollah Zam (fa). They talked about the suspicious murder of the commander of the Iranian Cyber Army, MuhammadHussain Tajik 6 months before the Tehran attack because, that time, Falahati and Zam had another talk about Tajik revealing information about Revolutionary Guard having informational cooperation with ISIS stealthily (before his death). On 13 Sep 2017, BBC Persian broadcast a documentary by Zhiar Gol about how the Islamic Republic policies caused many Iranian Kurds to join Salafism and ISIS, including Sarias Sadeghi (one of the Tehran attackers), his name had been noticed as an ISIS activist by many sources 3 years before Tehran attack.--> ==Casualties==

Seventeen individuals died at the hands of the ISIL attackers. The assailants fired upon both security personnel and nearby civilians alike. As well as those killed, fifty-two victims were injured. Six of the seven attackers were killed: four during the parliament shootings and two others at Khomeini's mausoleum. Three of the attackers blew themselves up in the parliament building and the mausoleum; the other three were shot by security forces and law enforcement. All casualties, including victims and attackers, were Iranian. One of the casualties was one of the MP's chief of staff; another was one of the visitors in his office. The video captured by ISIL was also broadcast at his office. ==Reactions==

Domestic reactions Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, downplayed the attacks by calling them mere "firecrackers" () which would not lead to the weakening of Iran's fight against terrorism. He said, "These firecrackers have no effect on Iran. They will soon be eliminated." The Ayatollah also stated that they "are too small to affect the will of the Iranian nation and its officials". Hassan Rouhani provides a tribute to the victims during the 9 June 2017 funeral. Iranian government officials expressed sympathies for the victims and condemned the attack. President Hassan Rouhani said the attack would make Iran more united in the war against terrorism. "We will prove once again that we will crush the enemies' plots with more unity and more strength," Rouhani said. He also called for regional and international cooperation and unity. First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri also stated that the government would promote the organized fight against radical terrorism. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Javad Zarif condemned the terrorist attack in Tehran saying, "terrorism is a problem that we face in the Middle East and the whole world". Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said in his closing statements that the attack was a "minor issue." Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf tweeted "Martyrdom of our dear citizens in a terrorist attack have created deep scars on our hearts." 2017 presidential defeated candidate Ebrahim Raisi also condemned the attacks and said that the attacks showed ISIL's peak helplessness and humiliation. Major General Mohsen Rezaee of the Revolutionary Guards wrote in an Instagram post that Iran was sure to "severely punish the terrorists who have murdered hundreds, not only in Iran but also in the U.K., Germany, France, Afghanistan, and Pakistan." Iran's Revolutionary Guards also released a statement saying Saudi Arabia was behind the attack. Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani also stated that authorities had apprehended several people suspected of planning bomb attacks. He noted that the arrests were made over the last few days and added that the attacks were planned for the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement that condemned the ISIS attacks, People's Mujahedin of Iran leader Maryam Rajavi reminded that, "ISIS's conduct clearly benefits the Iranian regime's Supreme Leader Khamenei, who wholeheartedly welcomes it as an opportunity to overcome his regime's regional and international impasse and isolation. The founder and the number one state sponsor of terror is thus trying to switch the place of murderer and the victim and portray the central banker of terrorism as a victim." International reactions Official condolences were expressed by the governments of various countries and international bodies. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks while expressing sympathies for the government of Iran and the families of the victims, and Guterres wished for a quick recovery to all those injured. The United Nations Security Council observed a minute's silence in the aftermath of the attack. Federica Mogherini, European Union Foreign Policy Chief, condemned the attacks and voiced sympathy and solidarity with Iran in a phone-call with Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many around the world also posted #PrayforTehran on social media in solidarity after the attacks. United States Senators Bernie Sanders and Dianne Feinstein called on the Senate to delay a vote on imposing sanctions on Iran. However, no delay took place and the measures went through shortly. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani condemned the sanctions' imposition and remarked that the U.S. government had acted "shamelessly." President of the United States Donald Trump released a statement in which he prayed for the "innocent victims of terrorist attacks" and said that "states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rejected Trump's statement, calling it "repugnant." Richard N. Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, also criticized Trump's statement. Haass argued on Twitter that "[c]ondemnation of terrorism cannot be selective if it is to have meaning" and "must condemn it in Tehran as well as in Europe" as well as that the "statement on Iran terror, which after condolences says Iran deserved it, is [the] result of divided staff drafting [without] smart clear guidance". Reza Marashi, research director of the National Iranian American Council, called Trump's statement "a vile response to grieving Iranians" and asked what would happen if Iranians claimed that the U.S. deserved the 9/11 attacks. He also pointed out that Iranians held candlelight vigils for 9/11 victims and an entire soccer stadium of Iranians observed a moment of silence as well. In a further statement to clarify his position, Rohrabacher stated that he "oppose the use of force against unarmed civilians no matter who is the victim or who is doing the killing" but he is also against "Iran's vicious Mullah monarchy" and "when it comes to Sunni terrorists or Shiite terrorists, I prefer them to target each other rather than any other victims, especially innocent civilians and Americans." Also added that it will "require support for those proud Iranians who want to win their freedom and heritage from Mullahs and are willing to fight for it. That does not include Isis, but it may include a lot of Iranians who see blowing up Khomeini's mausoleum as an expression of freedom from the yolk [sic] of Islamic terror." Following the events, multiple Iranian officials as well as organizations such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suggested that Saudi Arabia was responsible. Adel al-Jubeir, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Saudi Arabia, denied his country's involvement in the attacks and said Riyadh had no knowledge of who had committed them. While stating that his administration is unwilling reestablish normal diplomatic ties with Iran, he additionally condemned the terrorist attacks and "the killing of the innocent anywhere it occurs." Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remarked in a 9 June message that the attacks had spread hatred towards the Saudi government, which he labeled one of the "stooges" of the U.S. ==Aftermath==

Funeral and farewells A state funeral held on 9 June 2017 at the Parliament's headquarters was attended by Iranian officials such as President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, and Chief Justice Sadeq Larijani. Other individuals joining the ceremony included government ministers and senior figures such as Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi-Golpayegani, the head of the formal office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Several foreign ambassadors came as well. The survivors of the Tehran attacks who attended held up pictures of the victims. In a written message to the ceremony, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the attacks "will not damage our nation's determination to fight terrorism". He stated as well that the events "will only increase hatred for the governments of the United States and their stooges in the region like Saudi Arabia." During the funeral processions, many individuals in the massive crowds chanted slogans against both the American and Saudi governments, blaming them for the violence. Addressing the ceremony, the Parliament Speaker said, "Today is a hard day for the Iranian nation. Farewell to dear ones, who were sadly martyred". He remarked that the "terrorists fell short of their aim" yet still managed to blindly target civilians and mere state employees before the attacks ended. President Rouhani's speech stressed national unity, with the leader saying that "the nation will undoubtedly emerge victorious". Military response On 18 June 2017, the IRGC announced that a series of medium-range ground-to-ground missiles were launched at ISIL group headquarters in the Syrian city of Dayr al-Zawr, the missiles being fired from Iran's western provinces of Kermanshah and Kurdistan. Striking in response to the terrorist attacks in Tehran, the IRGC stated that their strikes resulted in the death of a significant number of extremists as well as the destruction of a large number of weapons, ammunition, and equipment belonging to them. The Iranian government semi-officially released a video of the actual military launch. Afterward, the Iranian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, declared that the strikes "manifested the will and capacity of Iran to fight against terrorism and security threats." Some Iranian sources suggested that the IRGC chose Dayr al-Zawr given that the city had begun to serve as the primary center of assembly, command, and logistics for ISIL militants lately where the terrorists had moved ground after defeats in Aleppo and Mosul over the previous months. While Iranian forces have undertaken multiple efforts against ISIL in the past, these were the first admitted strikes launched from Iranian soil. The missiles reportedly traveled about six-hundred kilometers until they reached the targeted city. The same day as the launch, Ayatollah Khamenei held meetings with the families of Iranian personnel fighting inside both Iraq and Syria, the leader giving a speech stressing the need for continued action outside of Iran's borders. The day after the strike, the IRGC released official footage depicting moments in which the missiles successfully hit their targets. The videos were transmitted by drones that the IRGC flew from Damascus over Dayr al-Zour. IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said, "Fortunately, all incoming reports and images of drones which were monitoring the operation suggest that the six medium-range powerful Iranian missiles have precisely hit the targets, the key bases of terrorists in the general area of Dayr al-Zawr inside Syria." As well, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, stated the videos showed them that "the missiles precisely hit their targets." ==See also==