Main accused in attack on popular Iran shrine sentenced to death

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – The main accused in an attack on a popular shrine in southern Iran's Shiraz city has been sentenced to death while two others have been handed a five-year jail term each.

Judiciary-affiliated Mizan News on Thursday cited the chief justice of southern Fars province as saying that the main accused Rahman Ela Norozaf, a Tajik national, was sentenced to death twice for "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and collusion against the country's security.

The accused in the second and third tiers were given five-year jail term each, and spared the capital punishment as they were "unaware" of the main perpetrator's intentions, the report stated.

The sentences were pronounced after three hearings at a local revolutionary court in Shiraz city. They have been given 20 days to appeal against the sentences.

Iran's security agencies had arrested at least 10 suspects over the attack, which drew widespread condemnation worldwide, most of them foreign nationals.

The 12th-century Shah Cheragh shrine, which is a popular destination for local and foreign tourists in southern Iran, came under attack on Aug. 13, leaving at least two people dead and more than a dozen injured.

The attack took place after a heavily armed man opened indiscriminate fire at the entrance of the shrine before he was overpowered by the shrine staff.

The responsibility for the attack was reportedly claimed by the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group.

It came less than a year after 13 people were killed and 40 others injured after a similar attack at the shrine on Oct. 26, 2022. Two main accused in the attack, identified as Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Naeim Hashem Qetali, were publicly executed in Shiraz in July.