2008 Shiraz explosion
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Shiraz bombing was an April 12, 2008 explosion that occurred during prayers at the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque
in the southern Iran
ian city of Shiraz
. Fourteen people were killed and 202 were injured. Around 800 people, which were mostly youth, were gathered at the Mosque to hear sermons which usually include sermons attacking the Wahabi denomination of Sunni Islam
and the Bahá'í Faith
.
The deputy governor of the province, Mohammad Reza Hadaegh, told IRIB an investigation was under way. Iranian officials first stated that the blast was not a terrorist attack, but caused by leftover munitions that were on display in the mosque as part of an exhibition commemorating Iran's 1980-1988 war against Iraq
. However, in May, Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi
said the blast was an act of terrorism and 12 terrorists had been arrested before they attacked the Russian Consulate and religious centers in Qom
. Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei
accused United States and Britain of involvement in the bombing and attempted to press charges against the two countries.
An Iranian monarchist group calling itself the Soldiers of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran
,
(Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran), claimed responsibility for the bombing.
In November 2008, Iran sentenced three men to death after they were convicted of the bombing. One of these men, Mehdi Eslamian, was hanged with four others on May 9, 2010. His brother had previously been hanged for the bombing.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in the southern Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian city of Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. Fourteen people were killed and 202 were injured. Around 800 people, which were mostly youth, were gathered at the Mosque to hear sermons which usually include sermons attacking the Wahabi denomination of Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
and the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
.
The deputy governor of the province, Mohammad Reza Hadaegh, told IRIB an investigation was under way. Iranian officials first stated that the blast was not a terrorist attack, but caused by leftover munitions that were on display in the mosque as part of an exhibition commemorating Iran's 1980-1988 war against Iraq
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
. However, in May, Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi
Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi
Hojatoll-Islam Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi is a politician in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2005, he was appointed as the new interior minister of the country by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with the approval of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei...
said the blast was an act of terrorism and 12 terrorists had been arrested before they attacked the Russian Consulate and religious centers in Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
. Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei
Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei
Hojjatol-Islam Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i was the head of the Ministry of Intelligence in Iran from 2005 to July 2009, when he was abruptly dismissed. On August 24, 2009 he was appointed prosecutor general of the country by new judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani. He has also held a number...
accused United States and Britain of involvement in the bombing and attempted to press charges against the two countries.
An Iranian monarchist group calling itself the Soldiers of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran
Kingdom Assembly of Iran
Kingdom Assembly of Iran is a militant Iranian royalist group which seeks to overthrow the Islamic Republic and restore the ousted Iranian monarchy...
,
(Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran), claimed responsibility for the bombing.
In November 2008, Iran sentenced three men to death after they were convicted of the bombing. One of these men, Mehdi Eslamian, was hanged with four others on May 9, 2010. His brother had previously been hanged for the bombing.
Victims
List of victims| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| Ali Nowrouzi | 19 |
| Gholam Moussavi | 45 |
| Erfan Entezami | 6 |
| Najmeh Ghassempour | 20 |
| Mohammad Javad Yaghout | 30 |
| Alireza Entezami | 11 |
| Massoud Rezaei | 25 |
| Mohammad Mahdavi | 21 |
| Mohammad Jokar | 25 |
| Ali Nasiri | 38 |
| Mohammad Javad Alavi | ? |