TWO explosions outside a Shiite mosque in mainly Sunni southeastern Iran killed more than 20 people and wounded over 100 overnight.
The attack took place in the Jamia mosque in the restive city of Zahedan, capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province, when worshippers were celebrating the anniversary of the birth of revered Shiite Imam Hussein, state news agency IRNA quoted a top medical official as saying.
Members of Iran’s Elite Revolutionary Guards were among those killed in the attacks, Reuters reported.
Iran’s Fars news agency earlier quoted the deputy interior minister as saying several were killed or wounded.
“Hours ago, a suicide operation was carried out in the Jamia mosque which left several martyrs and several wounded,” Ali Abdollahi was quoted as saying by Fars.
“We do not have the exact number of casualties from this suicide operation, but for sure several have been martyred and wounded.”
Zahedan member of parliament Hossein Ali Shahriari told Fars that there were two suicide attacks one after another, with the first one carried out by a bomber dressed as a woman.
“The attacker, dressed in women’s clothing, was trying to get in the mosque, but was prevented” when the first blast took place, Mr Shahriari said.
“When people came to rescue those hit in that blast, another bomber blew himself up. Three to four have been killed at least in the first attack.”
IRNA said two explosions rocked Zahedan, the first striking around 9.20 pm local time, followed by another.
It quoted provincial security official Jalal Sayah as saying that an investigation was on and “details could not be given” at this stage.
“We cannot announce the number of martyrs and wounded yet,” he said, adding that rescue and medical workers were on the scene.
Zahedan has been repeatedly hit by attacks blamed on Sunni rebel group Jundallah (Soldiers of God), which plays on feelings of resentment among ethnic Baluchis in the province and whose leader Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged on June 20 after he was captured in a dramatic operation by Iranian agents.
Soon after his death, the group vowed to avenge his execution.
Jundallah has carried out several deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchestan, including on the elite Revolutionary Guards.
The group says it has been fighting for nearly a decade to secure rights for Sunni Baluchis who form a significant proportion of the population in the province.
The group claimed a suicide bombing last October that killed at least 42 people, including seven Revolutionary Guards commanders, in the town of Pisheen in Sistan-Baluchestan.
Jundallah also claimed a May 28, 2009 bombing against a Shiite mosque in Zahedan, in which more than 20 people were killed and 50 wounded.
That attack came in the run-up to Iran’s hotly disputed June 12, 2009 presidential election, which saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad secure a second term.
Jundallah is also accused of a 2007 attack which killed 13 Guards.
Analysts estimate that the group was formed somewhere between 2000-2003 and now has about 1,000 militants trained in small arms and explosives.
In recent years the Iranian authorities have resorted to increasingly tough measures against the group.
In July 2009, they hanged 13 of its members in a mass prison execution, terming them “enemies of God” after convicting them of a string of offenses, including kidnapping foreigners.
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