Clinton condemns bombing in Mahabad, Iran; offers sympathy

“The United States condemns terrorism and all forms of violence against innocent people, wherever it occurs,” Secretary Clinton said today in a statement in response to the bombing at a military parade in Mahabad, Iran, which has killed 12 people and wounded about 75 others, mostly women and children, including the girl in the photo.

In her complete statement, she said:

I condemn the bombing targeting Iranians attending a parade in Mahabad today and offer my sympathy to the families and loved ones of those injured and killed. The perpetrators of this attack should be brought to justice and held accountable.

The United States condemns terrorism and all forms of violence against innocent people, wherever it occurs, and stands with the victims of these crimes. This attack underscores the international community’s need to work together to combat terrorism that threatens the lives of innocent civilians all around the world.

As sincere as Clinton is, Iranian authorities might not take her seriously. Although the attack is thought to have been perpetrated by Kurdish militants, Iranian officials are — surprise, surprise — blaming the United States and Israel.

“As the investigations indicate, the attack has foreign backing,” Vahid Jalalzadeh, governor of West Azerbaijan province, where the bombing occurred, told state TV. “Unfortunately, the Americans and their allies are in the region. From the first day of their presence and their slogan to establish security in the region, we can see that the unrest has increased.”

And we have this from Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, referring to the U.N. General Assembly in New York and Iran’s “Sacred Defense Week,” this week’s commemoration of the Iran-Iraq War:

The terrorist attack in Mahabad is the reaction of Israeli agents and the supporters of the Zionist regime [of Israel] to the country’s defensive prowess in the Sacred Defense Week and the successes of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s active diplomacy in the biggest international arena in New York.