Iran: Supreme Leader Vows Retaliation After Attack On Shia Shrine
The Facts
On Thursday, Iran's Supreme Leader vowed to retaliate against those he says threaten the country's security a day after at least 15 Shia pilgrims were killed in a massacre claimed by the Islamic State (IS). Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also called on Iranians to unite amid heightened tensions nationwide.
This comes as the police commander of the Fars province stated that the lone attacker who opened fire against worshippers at the Shah Cheragh Shrine in Shiraz was arrested, with Fars News Agency reporting that he was identified as 23-year-old Hamed Badakhshan.
The Spin
Pro-Iran narrative
The terror attack in Shiraz makes the sinister intentions of those promoting violence in Iran completely clear. Iran's enemies have drawn up a multi-layer scheme to promote insecurity in Tehran, but its national security will not be toyed with by terrorists or foreign meddlers who claim to defend human rights.
Anti-Iran narrative
The theocracy in Iran is now trying to deem legitimate protests "riots" and arguing that they were a pretext for Wednesday's IS-claimed attack. There's no evidence linking extremist groups to the widespread, largely peaceful demonstrations that have been hit hard by security forces' brutal crackdown.
