“IS Leaders” Among Suspects Arrested in Iran Suicide Bombings

Iranian authorities say they have arrested "key individuals” involved in the planning and execution of a deadly bombing attack earlier this month.

Those arrested included leaders and operatives of the Sunni extremist group Islamic State (IS), as well as “nationals of multiple countries," the Ministry of Intelligence said in a statement on January 19.

Among them is Mohammad Imran Tanveer, alias Abu Imran, identified as "one of the leaders" of the Islamic State-Khorasan group.

The extremist group has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on January 3 that killed nearly 100 people.

The attack targeted a memorial ceremony for Qassem Soleimani, a top commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed in a 2020 US drone strike.