Iran condemns ‘terrorist acts’ after Bulgaria attack

Iran said on Thursday that it strongly condemns ‘all terrorist acts’ after a suicide bombing in Bulgaria killed six people including five Israelis.

‘The Islamic republic, the biggest victim of terrorism, believes terrorism endangers the lives of innocents... is inhumane and so strongly condemns it,’ Arabic-language television channel Al-Alam cited foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying. ‘Iran’s position is to condemn all terrorist acts in the world,’ he added.

On Wednesday, a suicide bomber dressed as a tourist attacked Israeli tourists at Bulgaria’s Burgas airport. The blast ripped through a bus carrying Israeli tourists who had just arrived by plane from Tel Aviv, killing five of them as well as the vehicle’s Bulgarian driver, officials said. Israeli leaders led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately accused Iran and Lebanese group Hezbollah of being behind the deadly attack. And on Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said that his country was facing “a global wave of terrorism” sponsored by Tehran. Iran dismissed their accusations. ‘The Zionist regime, which is responsible for terrorist acts organised in Lebanon, Palestine and against the Iranian nuclear scientists ... is launching baseless accusations against other countries to forget its own terrorist nature,’ said Mehmanparast.

Earlier Thursday, Iranian state television too dismissed the Israeli accusations.

‘The prime minister (of Israel) has accused Iran of being involved in the attack in statements that are ridiculous and repetitive,’ the state television said in an article posted on its web site. ‘This is not the first time he made such statements. Last winter after the attacks.... in Thailand and India, he made statements against Iran without evidence and which have never been proved,’ the web site said.