Alwaght- Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Iran’s president on Saturday after an terrorist attack on an Iranian military parade, saying Moscow was ready to boost joint efforts in the fight against terrorism, RIA news quoted the Kremlin as saying.
"This incident once again reminds us about the need to conduct an uncompromising war on terror in all its manifestations. I would like to confirm our readiness to further enhance cooperation with Iranian partners in countering this evil," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.
Gunmen belonging to Saudi-backed al-Ahvaziya terrorist group opened fire on a military parade in Iran’s southern city of Ahvaz on Saturday, killing and injuring dozens of people.
Fars News agency cited Mojtaba Zonnour, member of Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, as saying 29 people were killed and 57 others injured in the terrorist attack.
Gunmen opened fire on people from behind a viewing stand at Qods Boulevard of Ahvaz during the morning parade held to mark the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran in the 1980s.
IRNA news agency also cited Governor of Khuzestan Province Gholamreza Shariati as saying Individuals disguised in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and Basij uniforms fired at officials and people from behind the stand, leaving a number of innocent people including women and children martyred or injured".
The Western media, however, have refrained from terming the deadly attack a terrorist act despite the large number of civilian casualties in the incident.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) only used the word "attack" for the terrorist act.
Similarly, Reuters and others described the incident as an "attack" instead of a terror one whereas they have been quick to use "terrorist attack" for similar incidents that took place in Europe over the past few years.