Updated: 03:21 PM EDT
Nine Killed in Rare Bombings in Iran
Attacks Target Government Buildings Ahead of Friday's Elections
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, AP
TEHRAN, Iran (June 12) - Four bombs exploded in the capital of an
oil-rich province on the Iranian border with Iraq on Sunday, killing
at least eight people and wounding at least 36, state-run television
reported. Hours later, another bomb in central Tehran killed one
person - a spree coming just days before the nation's presidential
vote.
The bombings were the deadliest in Iran in more than a decade.
At least four women were among those killed in the explosions in
Ahvaz, capital of the southwestern Khuzestan province. At least two of
the explosions were caused by car bombs, witnesses said.
Gholamreza Shariati, deputy provincial governor for security affairs,
said the bombers were seeking to undermine public participation in
Friday's presidential elections.
Television footage showed shattered windows, collapsed walls and blood
stains on the ground. The force of the explosions also damaged cars in
the streets. Shariati said 36 people, including eight police officers,
were injured.
After the first three blasts, disposal experts tried to defuse a
fourth bomb but failed, and it exploded, injuring one officer.
Amir Hossein Motahar, director of security at the Interior Ministry,
said one bomb went off in front of the Ahvaz governor's office and
another next to the city's housing department.
The third bomb blew up in front of the residence of the head of the
provincial radio and television station, he said. The fourth bomb was
placed near the same residence.
Shariati said intelligence and security officials were investigating
the bombings, which targeted "Iran's territorial integrity as it was
on the verge of presidential elections."
Later Sunday, one person was killed and four were injured in an
explosion near Tehran's central Imam Hussein square, state-run
television reported. State-run radio said the blast was caused by a
bomb.
Ahvaz was the site of two days of violent demonstrations in April
after reports circulated of an alleged plan to decrease the proportion
of Arabs in the area. Officials at the time confirmed one death but
opposition groups said more than 20 demonstrators had been killed.
Some 250 were arrested.
The protests were sparked after copies of a letter allegedly signed by
Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi circulated in the area. The letter
ordered the relocation of non-Arabs to the Ahvaz to make them the
majority population. Abtahi denied writing the letter.
Arabs make up about 3 percent of Iran's population of 69 million,
Persians account for 51 percent and other minorities comprise the
remainder.
Bomb explosions have been a rare occurrence in Iran since the end of
the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
AP-NY-06-12-05 1318EDT
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