39 killed in terrorist act in Iran, condemnation pours in

ZAHEDAN, Dec. 18 (MNA) -- Religious and political figures expressed their hatred of a suicide attack in Chabahar, a city in southeast Iran, on Wednesday which martyred at least 39 people and wounded more than 100 others.

The vicious crime happened as suicide bombers targeted a religious ceremony to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (S). Women and children were among the victims.

Religious and political figures have said the terrorists acts were intended to sow discord among Shia and Sunni Muslims in the southeastern province of Sistan Baluchestan.

The Society of Sunni Clerics in Sistan Baluchestan issued a statement saying, “So far the people of Sistan-Baluchestan province, through their unity, have made the enemy to repent” such vicious acts and will continue to do so in the future.

Mowlavi Abdol-Hamid, a Sunni cleric and Friday prayer leader of Maki mosque in Zahedan, described the terrorist attack as a “savage crime”.

In a statement on its website, the shadowy Jundullah group claimed responsibility for the bombings.

So far U.S. President Barack Obama, King Abdullah of Jordan, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have expressed their disgust of the ruthless attack. Obama called the attack a "disgraceful and cowardly act" and Ban described it as an "abhorrent terrorist act."

Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said on Wednesday that the attackers had links to neighboring Pakistan.

"A group of terrorists who were trained in Pakistan carried out the bombings ... we have informed Pakistani officials as well," Mohammad-Najjar said.

The members of the Jundullah group usually use the Pakistani soil as a launch pad for their attacks.