Iran: deadly suicide bomber attack blamed on Western elements

October 18, 10:22 AMForeign Policy ExaminerAimee Kligman

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The target was the much feared Revolutionary Guard; they had been an invaluable tool, along with the Basij Islamic militants in quashing protest demonstrations that followed the disputed re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At least 31 people, including five commanders of the Revolutionary Guard, were killed in a suicide attack attributed to the Sunni insurgency in southeastern Iran on Sunday, according to official news agency IRNA. They have also reported that more than two dozen were injured.

In a recent announcement by the authorities, it was declared that the Basij group would be integrated into the  Revolutionary Guards to form an organization with a single command. The size of this new 'force' was not disclosed. Several million people are members of the Basij. In fact, the numbers of the elite Pasdaran remain a state secret.

The United States have accused the Basij of supporting not only radical Iraqi Shiite militias but also the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hamas, and members of the Islamic Jihad against Israel.

The attack took place in a border town in Pakistan, Pishin, as the Attorney General of Zahedan, capital of the province of Sistan-Baluchistan made the announcement. The Revolutionary Guard commanders were holding a meeting with tribal leaders in the province aimed at strengthening "unity between Shiites and Sunnis."

In an al-Jazeera televised report this morning, Ali Larijani, speaker of the Irani Parliament accused the U.S. of involvement in the attack.

'We believe that the recent terrorist actions result from the actions of the United States and show the American animosity toward our country. Obama said he held out his hand to Iran, but with this action he burned his hand. The Iranian people are right not to believe the changes promised by the U.S. government, which is against their interests.'