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The ISIS Attack on Iran's Parliament - A Challenge to Rouhani

(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Lt. Col. (ret.) Michael Segall - The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the coordinated simultaneous terror attacks on Iran's parliament and on the tomb of Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, on June 7, 2017, that killed 13 people and wounded more than 40. In March, the group issued a video that called on Iran's Sunni minority to form terror cells and carry out attacks against Shiite forces. It is possible that, as the Islamic State loses land in Syria and Iraq, its fighters will make their way eastward toward Iran and Pakistan. Terror of the Islamic State variety will probably aim for a sympathetic response from Iran's many ethnic minorities. The Islamic State attack in Tehran will add considerably to the difficulties of President Rouhani. Elected to a second term on promises of reform in the domain of individual and citizens' rights, the security forces will exploit the incident to beef up security measures, and will crack down harder on any show of opposition to the Islamic regime by the reformist camp. The writer is a senior analyst at the Jerusalem Center.
2017-06-23 00:00:00
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