By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran tipped off Russia about the potential for a significant “terrorist operation” on its soil forward of the live performance corridor bloodbath close to Moscow final month, three sources accustomed to the matter stated.
Within the deadliest assault inside Russia in 20 years, gunmen opened hearth with automated weapons at concertgoers on March 22 on the Crocus Metropolis Corridor, killing not less than 144 individuals in violence claimed by the Islamic State militant group.
“Days earlier than the assault in Russia, Tehran shared data with Moscow a couple of potential large terrorist assault inside Russia that was acquired throughout interrogations of these arrested in reference to lethal bombings in Iran,” stated one supply.
Iran’s intelligence ministry stated in January it had arrested 35 individuals linked to twin bombings on Jan. 3 within the southeastern metropolis of Kerman that killed almost 100 individuals. On Jan. 19, the ministry stated it had arrested a commander of Islamic State’s Afghanistan-based department ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-Ok).
Islamic State claimed accountability for the Iran blasts, the bloodiest because the 1979 Islamic Revolution. U.S. intelligence sources stated ISIS-Ok had carried out each the Jan. 3 assaults in Iran and the March 22 shootings in Moscow.
Islamic State as soon as occupied giant swathes of Iraq and Syria, imposing a reign of terror and provoking lone wolf assaults in Western nations, however was declared territorially defeated in 2017.
Nonetheless ISIS-Ok, considered one of its most fearsome branches, has raised the group’s profile once more with large-scale bloodshed.
ISIS-Ok, named after an outdated time period for a area that encompassed elements of Iran, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, emerged in jap Afghanistan in late 2014 and rapidly established a repute for excessive brutality.
‘SIGNIFICANT OPERATION’
A second supply, who additionally requested anonymity as a result of sensitivity of the problem, stated the knowledge Tehran offered to Moscow about an impending assault had lacked particular particulars concerning timing and the precise goal.
“They (the members of ISIS-Ok) had been instructed to arrange for a major operation in Russia… One of many terrorists (arrested in Iran) stated some members of the group had already travelled to Russia,” the second supply stated.
A 3rd supply, a senior safety official, stated: “As Iran has been a sufferer of terror assaults for years, Iranian authorities fulfilled their obligation to alert Moscow primarily based on data acquired from these arrested terrorists.”
Iran’s international ministry and the Kremlin didn’t reply to a request for touch upon this story. The White Home had no touch upon the matter.
A supply accustomed to the U.S. intelligence on an impending assault in Russia stated it was primarily based on interceptions of “chatter” amongst ISIS-Ok militants.
Difficult the U.S. assertions, Russia has stated it believes Ukraine was linked to the assault, with out offering proof. Kyiv has strongly denied the assertion.
It’s tougher, nonetheless, for Russia to dismiss intelligence from diplomatic ally Iran on the assault, which raised questions over the effectiveness of Russian safety providers. Moscow and Tehran, each underneath Western sanctions, have deepened army and different cooperation since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
TAJIK NATIONALS
Each the assaults in Kerman and close to Moscow concerned Tajik nationals. ISIS-Ok has aggressively recruited from the impoverished former Soviet republic of Tajikistan, safety specialists say.
Sources stated Iran had mentioned its safety considerations with Tajikistan. A diplomatic supply in Tajikistan confirmed that Tehran had not too long ago mentioned with Dushanbe the problem of elevated involvement of ethnic Tajiks in militant actions.
Islamic State harbours a virulent hatred for Shi’ites — Iran’s dominant sect and in addition the targets of its affiliate’s assaults in Afghanistan. It views them as apostates.
In 2022 Islamic State claimed accountability for a lethal assault on a Shi’ite shrine in Iran that killed 13 individuals. Tehran recognized the attacker as a Tajik nationwide.
Earlier assaults claimed by Islamic State embrace twin bombings in 2017 that focused Iran’s parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
(This story has been refiled to repair a typo within the headline)
