TEHRAN – As thousands of mourners gathered on Friday for the funeral of the victims of the twin terrorist assault in the capital Tehran, senior Iranian authorities pledged to remain adamant in their anti-terrorism cause.

On Wednesday, two terrorist attacks, one on executive building of Iran’s Parliament and the other on the mausoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution, left 17 dead and 56 injured.
Islamic State took credit for the attacks.  

The Intelligence Ministry released the photos and names of the five perpetrators, all killed. One female member of the cell was detained.

The ministry announced on Friday it had caught more than 41 suspects in connection to the Tehran attacks across the country.

Leader offers condolences to victim families

In a message read at the funeral of victims of terror attacks, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei offered condolences to families of the victims, noting that such acts will have no impact on will of the Iranian nation.

“Such crimes” which prove the “vice” and “humiliation” of their backers, organizers and perpetrators will not hurt “the Iranian people’s determination”, Ayatollah Khamenei said in the message.

The Leader said the terrorist attacks are “clear examples of the vicious hostility of the mercenaries” of arrogant countries against the decent Iranian people and Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Such acts will inevitably result in “more hatred” toward the U.S. government and its stooges such as the Saudi regime, the Leader remarked.

"It will not damage our nation's determination to fight terrorism ... but will only increase hatred for the governments of the United States and their stooges in the region like Saudis.”

He added the Iranian nation will move forward “unitedly and with great determination”.

One day after the raids, the Leader highlighted: “The Iranian nation is moving forward and advancing; even these firecrackers that were set off today will not impact our nation’s will; everyone must know this.”

President Rouhani: The terror acts were ‘revenge against democracy’

Attending the funeral, President Rouhani condemned the terror assaults as “a revenge against democracy in Iran”, a reference to the May 19 elections in Iran in which nearly 42 million voters participated.

“Whenever the Iranian nation achieves a victory, ill-wishers seek to deliver a blow to the country and the people,” Rouhani said.

“In our region, both those who back terrorism and have not seen democracy in their political life, and terrorists are against democracy,” he added.

Rouhani added that it is not the first time the nation witnesses such acts of terror, stressing that “people will find their own path to national goals and unity, and the nation will undoubtedly emerge victorious.”

According to official accounts, more than 17,000 Iranians have been killed in acts of terrors over the past three decades.

Parliament speaker: Saudis wearing anti-democracy, pro-terrorism badge

In his remarks in the funeral, Parliament speaker Ali Larijani rapped Saudi Arabia and the U.S. for the current situation in the Middle East and indirectly for the terror attacks in Tehran.

“Today, the Saudis wear the badge for fighting democracy and backing terrorists,” Larijani said.

“Once the U.S. claimed to manage the world to promote democracy and human rights; but now its president exchanges democracy for money.”

In making the comments, the parliament speaker was referring to the recent trip to Riyadh by President Donald Trump, during which he signed a $100-billion arms deal with the Saudi side.

Also, Trump, contrary to his campaign remarks, praised the U.S.-Saudi “strategic partnership” and made Iran the focus of his anti-terrorism rhetoric.

AK/PA