Accessibility links

Breaking News

Iran Fires Missiles Into Syria In Revenge For IS Attacks In Tehran


The missile attacks came a week after IS militants attacked the Iranian parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic republic. 
The missile attacks came a week after IS militants attacked the Iranian parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic republic. 

Iran has fired missiles into eastern Syria targeting the Islamic State (IS) militant group which claimed the attack on the Iranian parliament and a shrine in Tehran.

The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) military organization said in a statement on June 18 that it launched mid-range ground-to-ground missiles from western Iran into the Deir al-Zour region of eastern Syria, killing a "large number" of "terrorists."

IRGC said the missiles targeted the "headquarters and gathering centers of Takfiri terrorists supporting and building car bombs."

The missile attacks came a week after IS militants attacked the Iranian parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic republic.

The IRGC statement added that "the spilling of any pure blood will not go unanswered."

Iran, a predominantly Shi'ite country, often refers to Sunni Muslim radicals as Takfiris.

Iran has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the country's civil war and the IRGC has played a crucial role on the ground.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG