Araweelo News Network
Tehran(ANN)-Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) and the Mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in the capital Tehran have come under armed attack.
At least four gunmen have reportedly intruded into the premises of the Majlis, opening fire on the security guards there.
The Tasnim photo shows an assailant inside the Iranian Parliament showing a hostage, June 7, 2017.
According to Tasnim news agency, at least eight people have been injured in the shooting attack on Wednesday.
Two people are said to have lost his life in the firefight.
The assault has forced a lockdown on the legislature.
Tehran MP Elias Hazrati has said that the assailants were armed with two Kalashnikovs and a handgun.
According to lawmaker Mehdi Kiaee, the situation is under control inside the parliament, while security forces are working to restore calm there.
As seen in the footage below, Anti-Terror Special Forces have been deployed to the Majlis.
ISNA quoted an MP as saying that all the parliament doors are shut and one of the assailants has been surrounded by security guards.
Tasnim said four people have been taken hostage by the assailants holed up inside the building. The news agency released a photo, in which one of the attackers purportedly shows a hostage to security forces through the window.
Separately, the Fars news agency said in a Twitter post that three gunmen attacked the Imam Khomeini Mausoleum in Tehran, opening fire on people inside and wounding a number of them.
The report said one of the assailants has been killed, another has blown himself up and a third one has been injured.
photo released by Jamaran News shows the moment of a blast at the western entrance of the Imam Khomeini Mausoleum, southern Tehran, June 7, 2017.
Informed sources say a suicide bomber’s explosive vest has also been discovered and deactivated in the vicinity of the mausoleum.
Iran’s state television quoted the Intelligence Ministry as saying that the twin attacks in Tehran were carried out by terrorists.
IRNA cited an official with the Intelligence Ministry’s Counter-terrorism Department as saying that some terrorist teams had entered the capital earlier in the day.
One was captured before managing to stage any attacks, while two others attacked the Parliament and the Mausoleum. At the shrine, one bomber was killed before setting off his explosives, but another managed to blow himself up.
[This item is being updated.]
