Iran Condemns Bomb Blasts In Turkmen District Of North Baghdad

Tehran, June 26, IRNA – Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman here Tuesday condemned bomb blasts in Tuz Khormato Turkmen district of northern Baghdad which killed and wounded dozens of innocent Iraqi citizens, calling it a premeditated crime aimed at damaging Iraqi national unity. According to an IRNAˈs Tuesday night news item, the Foreign Ministry Press Office further quoted Abbas Araqchi as calling the continuation of bomb blasts in Iraq and massacring of innocent individuals due to their ethnic and religious schools of thought affiliations a grave crime against humanity. He added that such crimes are in line with the religious sedition plots aimed at destroying the interests of the entire Iraqi ethnic groups and the entire religious schools of thought. The diplomat said, “The wise Iraqi nation, and the sagacious guidance of the religious and political leaders of that country hand in hand led to leaving behind the dark era of occupation and religious sedition in Iraq successfully.” The Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated, ˈThe Iraqi nation at the present day, too, by preserving its unity and recognizing its real enemies, would manage to detonate the hatched conspiracies against the political process and stability of their country.” He emphasized, “The international community and the influential players of the region must feel responsible towards the sensitive developments of the time.” Araqchi said, “They should adopt constructive policies and approaches, contribute to the restoration of regional peace and stability, and to campaign against extremism and terrorism.” On Tuesday, at least 11 people were killed and 55 others injured after two bomb blasts rocked the Iraqi city of Tuz Khormato, situated some 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of the capital Baghdad. The fatalities included former deputy provincial governor, Ali Hashim. Separately, a bomb explosion targeting Shiite pilgrims in southern Baghdad killed three and wounded fifteen others. This comes after dozens of people lost their lives in bomb attacks across the country on Monday. There has recently been an upsurge in violence across Iraq, and the authorities say Qatar and Saudi Arabia have had a hand in some of the deadly incidents. On Saturday, at least 24 people, mostly Shiite Muslims, were killed and many others injured in Iraq. The deadliest attack occurred in the town of Taji, north of Baghdad, when a bomb planted inside a mosque went off at about 8:00 p.m. (1700 GMT), killing 15 people and injuring more than 31 others. On June 19, some 31 people were killed in two coordinated bomb attacks inside and near a Shiite mosque in Baghdad. On June 16, 51 people lost their lives and many others were injured in a spate of attacks across the country. The United Nations says a total of 1,045 people were killed and nearly 2,400 were injured in violent incidents across Iraq in May. Earlier this month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Iraq Martin Kobler called on the Iraqi leaders to “sit together” to address the country’s problems, including car bomb attacks throughout Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that the militant groups and the remnants of the former Ba’athist regime are responsible for the latest wave of violence in the country./end