Security sources of the Islamic Republic claim connection of attackers at Shah Cheragh with 'ISIS'; increase in arrests

While officials reported an increase in arrests, media sources close to the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic have claimed that one of the attackers at 'Shah Cheragh' in Shiraz was a member of the 'ISIS' group. The Tasnim news agency, close to Iran's security institutions, quoted 'some sources' as saying: 'Rahmatullah Noorozov, with the organizational name Salman Aslamyar,' initially contacted one of the 'ISIS links' through social media and then went to Turkey for 'operational cooperation' with ISIS, where he 'effectively became a member of ISIS.' According to these 'sources,' whose names or details have not been disclosed, Noorozov, who is of Tajik descent, then went to Afghanistan and underwent 'about 3 months' of ISIS training for the 'planned terrorist operations' before finally 'entering Iran.' On the evening of Sunday, August 13, Iranian news agencies reported an attack by 'several armed assailants' on 'Shah Cheragh,' a religious site in Shiraz, stating that at least 'seven people' were shot and 'two to four' were killed. In the early hours, the death of one person was officially confirmed, and a few days later (yesterday, Tuesday), the death of a second person was announced. On October 26, 2022, a similar armed attack occurred at this location, resulting in at least 13 deaths, and Iranian judicial authorities executed 'Mohammad Ramaz Rashidi' and 'Seyyed Naim Hashemi Qatali' as the 'perpetrators of the armed attack' on July 8, 2023, in 'the street adjacent to the shrine.' The Islamic Republic government announced at that time the arrest of the perpetrator of this shooting, and state media blamed 'Takfiri terrorists,' a term used by the Islamic Republic for 'radical Sunni Muslim militants.' In recent days, following the second deadly shooting incident at 'Shah Cheragh,' some media close to the security institutions of the Islamic Republic have claimed a connection of these individuals with radical Sunni Muslim militants known as 'ISIS,' although official sources of this group have not yet confirmed such claims. Yesterday, the commander of the Fajr Corps of Fars Province claimed that the arrested assailant was 'a member of a network' and had 'a lighter and gasoline' with him during the operation. According to reports from Iranian news agencies on Tuesday, August 15, Yadollah Bouali, the commander of the Fajr Corps of Fars Province, claimed that the arrested individual in connection with the attack on Shah Cheragh was 'a member of a network whose background is not in Islamic countries.' He announced that 'more than 10 individuals' have been arrested in connection with the Sunday evening attack on Shah Cheragh, and the assailant had 'a lighter and gasoline' with him, claiming that 'this network extends to several countries that are specified.' This IRGC official did not mention the names of the alleged countries. On Wednesday morning, Ismail Ghazalsafli, the political, security, and social deputy of the Fars governorate, announced the 'arrest of another individual,' bringing the total number of detainees related to the armed attack on Shah Cheragh to 11. According to reports from Iranian news agencies, in this incident, so far, 2 people have been killed and seven 'injured or wounded,' all of whom have been transferred to medical centers and are receiving treatment. Despite the many 'ambiguities' surrounding this incident, Jamshid Barzegar, a journalist for the Persian section of Voice of America, stated that public opinion holds the 'Islamic Republic' responsible for both armed attacks [last year and this year] on Shah Cheragh. Mehrdad Darvishpour: The regime is a lying shepherd, and its claims about Shah Cheragh are not believed. Ambiguities of the armed attack on Shah Cheragh; what were the responsible institutions doing this time? Jamshid Barzegar: Public opinion holds the Islamic Republic responsible for both armed attacks on Shah Cheragh. Once again, the armed attack on Shah Cheragh and numerous ambiguities; from the name of the assailant to the number of detainees. The claim of the commander of the 'Fajr' Corps about the Shah Cheragh assailant: 'I had a lighter and gasoline.' Global condemnation of the attack on Shah Cheragh; users: 'A repetitive scenario' on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini. Contradictory reports from state media regarding the attack on Shah Cheragh; arrests of several foreign nationals. Armed attack on Shah Cheragh; 'two to four' killed.