Mahabad attack aimed to distract world

A senior Iranian lawmaker says the aim of the terrorist attack in the northwestern Iranian city of Mahabad was to distract public opinion from Tehran’s stances at the UN.

Coinciding with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to New York, a terrorist attack took place in West Azarbaijan Province on Wednesday which left 12 people dead and at least 80 others injured.

“Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, superpowers, especially the US and Israel have tried to harm the Revolution and every time these plots have been different,” Fars News Agency quoted Deputy Majlis Speaker Shahabeddin Sadr as saying on Saturday.

Sadr added that arrogant powers have been trying different ways to wage war against Islam in the world.

The Iranian lawmaker described the terrorist attack in Mahabad as a distraction used by the enemy to divert public opinion attention from Iran’s official stances which were broadcast in the world.

Sadr concluded that even if such terrorist incidents were to happen all over Iran, it would not affect the “Iranian nation’s steadfast resolve.”

Iran’s police said on Wednesday they had arrested two people in connection with the terrorist attack.

Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said on Thursday that the group behind the terrorist attack had been identified.