Acid Attack on 16 People in Tehran: Incident 'Not Terroristic'

Minutes after reports emerged of an acid attack on 16 citizens in Tehran, the head of Tehran's Criminal Court announced that a 40-year-old man had thrown acid on these individuals for 'completely personal reasons' following a dispute. According to Mohammad Shahriari, the head of Tehran's Criminal Court, the assailant has been arrested. This incident occurred just hours after several members of the Islamic State group, ISIS, killed over ten people and sent dozens to the hospital in simultaneous attacks on the Parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini in southern Tehran. Shahriari also stated that 'the injured sustained superficial wounds and their overall condition has been reported as good.' On Thursday morning, June 8, Fars News Agency reported, citing an 'informed source,' that 'a motorcyclist' threw acid on 16 people on Fadaiyan Islam Street in Tehran, resulting in injuries. ISNA also reported that the acid attack left '14 injured' in southern Tehran. Iran's Emergency Services announced that four ambulances were dispatched to the scene, and the injured were taken to Shahid-e Haft Tir, Firuzabadi, and Motahari hospitals. However, shortly after, Mohammad Shahriari denied any connection between this incident and the attacks on Wednesday in Tehran, adding that 'this matter was completely personal.' According to Shahriari, after a confrontation between a 40-year-old man and family members in a park on Wednesday evening, the man returned home and 'went to the park with a jug (a multi-liter plastic container) of acid and began throwing acid indiscriminately at anyone in front of him.' The head of Tehran's Criminal Court announced that the assailant was arrested at the scene. Two armed teams attacked the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on Wednesday, resulting in 16 deaths and 52 injuries, with the attackers also being killed. The Islamic State group, ISIS, claimed responsibility for the Wednesday attacks in Tehran in a statement and threatened that more attacks against Iran 'are on the way.' Reports of acid attacks in Iran have gained significant attention since October 2014, following an acid attack on six women in Isfahan. Family and personal disputes have also been reported as factors in some acid attacks in Iran.