Iranian cleric claims Zahedan attacks a diversion from nuclear scientist case

Kazem Sedighi

Tehran Friday Mass leader, Kazem Sedighi told worshippers today that the US was involved in last night’s attack in Zahedan in order to divert attention from the case of Shahram Amiri, Iranian nuclear scientist.

ILNA reports that Sedighi accused the US of masterminding the suicide attacks and said: “Since the US has lost face in the case of Shahram Amiri and the reputation of its intelligence has also become questionable, through this crime, they wanted to divert attention from their defeat and disgrace.”

Two suicide attacks in Zahedan’s Grand Mosque last night killed 27 and injured over 300 in the southeastern capital of Sistan & Baluchistan.

Jundullah Organization has claimed responsibility for the attacks and claims the two attackers were members of its group.

Shahram Amiri, on the other hand, is the Iranian nuclear scientist who disappeared during a pilgrimage trip to Saudi Arabia and according to Iran’s allegations, was abducted by US agents.

He returned to Iran yesterday contending that he was abducted and taken to an unknown location by US and Saudi agents after which he was transferred to the US and put under “severe psychological and mental torture by US intelligence agents.”

According to a Washington Post reports yesterday, Amiri received $5 million from the CIA for providing them with nuclear information.