An explosion in the northwest city of Mahabad in Iran killed 12 people and wounded 70, according to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The authorities in Iran are considering the explosion to be a terrorist attack.
According to the governor-general of the Azerbaijan province, the explosion happened during a military parade celebrating Iran’s Sacred Defense Week. The IRNA is reporting that the majority of the victims of the attack were women and children. While no one has claimed responsibility, “counter-revolutionary groups” are being blamed by the government. That phrase is often used to indicate Kurdish militants.
The ceremonies for the week began on Wednesday, with a parade of the armed forces in Tehran. The ceremonies are held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980. That battle lasted eight years and cost half a million lives.
