2013 Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut
Iranian embassy bombings | |
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Part of (Hezbollah claim) |
The 2013 Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut was a double
Background
The bombings were seen as part of the
The Syrian government effort at the time, with the strong support of Hezbollah fighters, to eliminate the rebel stronghold in Qalamoun, a region along the Lebanese border with strong ties to the
Bombings
The area immediately outside the embassy gates was hit by two consecutive blasts. The first was reported to be carried out by a bomber either on a motorcycle[8] or on foot.[9] After people had rushed to the scene,[8] a 4x4 vehicle two buildings away from the embassy blew up in a second, deadlier explosion.[9] The two blasts occurred within 2 minutes of each other.[10] Six buildings were reported to have been damaged.[3] The bombs destroyed some building fronts and severely damaged the embassy gates, but caused only fairly minor damage to the embassy building.[9]
Victims
According to Lebanon's Health Ministry at least 23 people were killed and 147 wounded.[3] Iranian cultural attaché Ebrahim Ansari was among the dead,[9] with five Iranian security personnel wounded.[4] Ansari and the Iranian ambassador Ghazanfar Roknabadi were scheduled to leave the embassy to attend a meeting at the Ministry of Culture at around the time when the bombs went off.[9] The embassy's head of security, a Lebanese national, was also killed in the blast.[11]
Claims of responsibility
The
Leader of Hezbollah
Reactions
- Domestic
Hezbollah held a public funeral and rally in Beirut the day after the attack. Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem vowed to continue support for the Syrian government in saying the attacks in Lebanon were "inevitable pains on the road to victory", while mourners chanted "Death to America, Israel, and the takfiris!"[11]
- Regional
Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham blamed Israel for the attack, calling it "an inhuman crime and spiteful act done by Zionists and their mercenaries".[16][17] Israel denied any involvement.[citation needed]
Saudi Arabia called on all its citizens to leave the country.[18]
- Other states and entities
The attacks were condemned by the United Nations Security Council, China,[19] France, Syria, the United Kingdom and the United States.[2][9] Tom Fletcher, the British ambassador to Beirut, personally donated blood and expressed solidarity with those affected.[9]
See also
- Iran–Lebanon relations
- List of attacks on diplomatic missions
- 1983 United States embassy bombing
- Iranians in Lebanon
- Ghazanfar Roknabadi
References
- ^ a b Beirut bomb blasts kill 23: Iranian Embassy is the target in a widening war between Shia and Sunni The Independent Retrieved 20 November 2013
- ^ a b c "Lebanon blasts hit Iran's embassy in Beirut". BBC News. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ a b c "Beirut bombs kill 23; blasts linked to Syrian civil war". CNN. 19 November 2013.
- ^ a b c Saigol, Lina (22 October 2013). "Twin explosions leave 23 dead near Iran's embassy in Beirut". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Bill Roggio (27 June 2012). "Abdullah Azzam Brigades names leader, advises against attacks in Syria's cities". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
- ^ "Syrian army takes town along north-south highway: state media". Reuters. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Hezbollah deploys 15,000 troops for anticipated Qalamoun battle Al Arabiya. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013
- ^ a b "Devastating blasts hit Iran embassy in Beirut". Al Jazeera. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Laila Bassam; Erica Solomon (19 November 2013). "Suicide bombings kill 23 near Iran embassy in Beirut". Reuters. Beirut. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Lebanon blasts hit Iran's embassy in Beirut: As it happened BBC News 20 November 2013
- ^ a b "Lebanon's Hezbollah holds funeral for Iran Embassy bombing dead, pledges continued Syria fight". The Washington Post. 21 November 2013. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
- ^ "Beirut probes Iranian embassy bomb attack". Euronews. 20 November 2013. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Ghosn confirms chief of Al-Qaeda-linked group arrested". The Daily Star. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ Hosenball, Mark; Alistair Bell; Andrew Hay (31 December 2013). "Leader of group linked to al Qaeda held in Lebanon: sources". Reuters. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ "Saudis behind blasts at Iran embassy, Hezbollah says". BBC News. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "Iran accuses Israel of being behind Beirut bombings". Agence France-Presse. 19 November 2013.
- ^ Rebecca Collard (19 November 2013). "With Beirut bombing, Iran takes direct hit for helping Assad". The Christian Science Monitor. Beirut. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ Saudi Arabia urges citizens leave Lebanon Al Jazeera 21 November 2013
- ^ Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference on 20 November 2013 Foreign Ministry of China 20 November 2013
External links
- Iranian embassy in Lebanon Archived 21 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine