TEHRAN – Iranian judicial authorities have officially indicted those responsible for planning last year's deadly attack on the revered Shah Cheragh shrine, a prominent holy site in Iran's southern Fars Province, according to a provincial official.

Sadrollah Rajayi Nasab, head of the Fars Province Justice Department, announced on Sunday that the suspects are linked to Daesh and described the indictment as part of Iran’s broader efforts to combat terrorism and uphold national security.

Rajayi Nasab noted that the perpetrators had been arrested and transferred to the judiciary soon after the attack, marking a decisive move against terrorism within Iran's borders. These individuals have been identified as central figures in Daesh’s operations within the country.

The Shah Cheragh shrine, located in Fars, holds significant religious importance for Muslims and has been the target of two recent attacks. The August 13 incident, which tragically claimed two lives, followed a larger, more devastating attack in October 2022 that resulted in the deaths of 13 pilgrims. Iran subsequently executed two main individuals involved in the 2022 attack in July 2023 as part of its response to the rising terrorist threat.

Iranian authorities continue to pursue strict legal measures against terrorist groups, with Rajayi Nasab emphasizing that judicial processes aim to deliver justice for the victims of these brutal attacks on one of the nation’s most cherished religious sites.

Terror ringleader in SE Iran eliminated

Also on Sunday, Iranian police announced the elimination of the ringleader of the terrorist group responsible for a deadly attack on a police convoy in southeastern Iran last week. 

Brigadier General Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, police spokesman, declared on Sunday, "We have fulfilled our promise to avenge the pure blood of our police martyrs." He confirmed that the main members of the terrorist team were either killed or apprehended within a week of the attack.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group, known inside Iran as Jaish al-Zulm, claimed responsibility for the ambush in Sistan and Baluchestan's Taftan County which took the lives of 10 Iranian soldiers and officers. 

The police spokesman further revealed that two additional terrorists, including the individual who recorded the attack, were arrested in the past 24 hours. Six individuals supporting the terror group were also taken into custody, confessing to multiple killings in recent years.