June 7, 2017: ISIS claims several attacks in Iran

TEHRAN, IRAN – Sometimes nations seen ordinarily as sponsors of terrorism can suffer from it as well.

Quick quiz time! Put your thinking caps on! Ready? Here we go!

Iran is one of the world’s leading __________ ? Choose an answer from the following:

a) nations whose name is actually a short sentence (“I ran”);

b) producer of pistachios;

c) state sponsor of terrorism; or

d) generator of grim-looking ayatollahs.

The answer of course is c (NOT b – the US produces more pistachios than Iran!).

Most people in the West – to include Israel of course – think that Iran is a really nasty player when it comes to backing terrorist groups around the world, such as Hizballah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and a variety of actors in Iraq. All of which is true.

But this does not mean that it has not also been a victim of terrorism.

On this day in 2017

Islamic State (ISIS) claimed a number of attacks on the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) and the Ayatollah Khomeini mausoleum in Tehran, killing a total of 18 and wounding another 52. The terrorists were also killed.

We’re not going anywhere. We’re staying forever.

ISIS terrorist during the attacks

That ISIS hit Iran is of surprise to no one: Sunni jihadis like these ones HATE Shia Muslims (Iran is predominantly Shia). What is of more surprise is that there are not more attacks of this nature.

In the end we can criticise Iran for its support for terrorist groups but we still have to acknowledge when they are at the victim end.

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