Suicide attack kills 39 Shia mourners in Iran

A bomb explosion in the southeastern Iranian city of Chabahar has killed at least 39 mourners commemorating the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam on Wednesday. The victims also included women and children while over 50 people have suffered severe injuries.

A suicide bomber reportedly blew himself up at the Imam Hussein mosque where Iranians were attending the religious Tasua ceremony. Officials maintained that, over the past few days, they have been receiving threats of bomb attacks targeting pilgrims marking Ashura, the Shia mourning day.

Local media reports also suggest that the police detained another bomber even before he could trigger an explosion. Authorities also confirmed that the prime suspect behind the Wednesday attack has been detained. They were also quick to blame the US intelligent services to have supported the attacks.

Meanwhile, local police have launched investigation into the attacks, and determine the nature of the explosives used. Some reports suggested that another explosion was heard minutes after the first. However, officials are yet to confirm the news.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion, but police suspect Sunni group Jundallah to have orchestrated the attacks. The group dubbed as 'Soldiers of God' has been in constant confrontation with Tehran alleging discrimination against the Sunni minority in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Early last month, United States listed the Iranian militant group as a terrorist organization. The state department also maintained that Jundullah had killed scores of Iranian civilians and government officials since 2003. Iranian media has also been blaming the group to have carried out attacks assassination of the country's nuclear scientists.