Explosion in a bookstore in Urmia leaves one dead

Following an explosion in a bookstore in Urmia, the capital of West Azerbaijan province, which resulted in one death, news agencies have reported the arrest of the perpetrator. According to two officials in the province, the cause of the explosion was personal disputes. The state news agency IRNA reported on Thursday, August 22, citing the police chief of West Azerbaijan province, that the perpetrator confessed after arresting and stated that the reason was "settling personal scores with the bookstore owner." Brigadier General Nasser Aslani told IRNA that in this incident, in addition to the bookstore owner who lost his life due to a hand grenade explosion, four other people were injured, three of whom were relatives of the bookstore owner and one was a citizen of Urmia. The explosion occurred around noon on Thursday on Bakri Street in Urmia, and according to the police chief of West Azerbaijan, the suspect was identified and arrested shortly after the police arrived. This police official added that the arrested individual cited "property disputes regarding the lease of the bookstore" as his main motive for revenge against the shop owner and the deceased, and investigations are ongoing to clarify the details of the incident. The Urmia commander also confirmed the arrest of the perpetrator, stating that personal animosity and family issues were potential factors behind this act. Abbas Hassan Khani told the Tasnim news agency that there had been previous altercations between the perpetrator and the deceased. He also added that the injured individuals have been transferred to the hospital and that "the general condition of all of them is satisfactory."