Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
RFL/RE – A stabbing attack at a revered shrine in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad has claimed the life of a second Shi’ite cleric, state television reports.
The death of Mohammad Sadegh Daraei was reported as thousands of mourners attended the funeral of another cleric, Hojatoleslam Mohammad Aslani, killed in the same attack.
Daraei was seriously wounded in the April 5 attack at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. He died at a hospital after undergoing several operations that failed to save him.
A third cleric wounded in the attack is still in danger, the medical team has said.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi on April 7 described the incident as a “terrorist operation” and said Tehran would pursue the perpetrators. Vahidi said the attack showed that Iran’s enemies are still working to promote “discord.”
Authorities have said the suspected perpetrator is a 21-year-old man of Uzbek descent, while blaming the attack on the influence of “takfiri” — a term used for Sunni extremists, including the Islamic State (IS) group.
They have described religious animosity toward Iran’s Shi’ite majority as the motive for the attack.
The suspected attacker and six other accomplices have been arrested. At least one is reported to be the brother of the attacker.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency identified the suspect as Abdolatif Moradi and said he had entered Iran a year ago illegally via the border with Pakistan. According to the report, Moradi lived in Mashhad, where he worked “in transport” with his brother.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has called on the Intelligence Ministry to identify and prosecute all perpetrators of the attack.
