RNA - "The ignoble terrorists should know that they will receive a hard and surprising response in revenge for the blood of our countrymen," General Hatami said on Sunday.
He added that the incident further proved the necessity for increasing the country's defense power, noting that enemies know that direct confrontation against the powerful Islamic Republic of Iran is impossible and they have, thus, opted for attacking the defenseless people.
29 people were killed and 70 were injured in the Saturday morning attack by al-Ahwaziya terrorist group during the nationwide military parades in Iran's Southwestern city of Ahwaz.
The terrorists attacked the bystanders watching the annual Armed Forces' parades, marking the start of the Sacred Defense Week, commemorating Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s, in disguise of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Basij (volunteer) forces, killing and wounding several people, including innocent women and children.
None of the officials participating in the military parades in Ahwaz city in Khouzestan province was injured in the attack.
Spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier-General Abolfazl Shekarchi told FNA that 4 terrorists carried out the attack during military parades in Ahwaz, noting that three of them were killed and the last one was captured by security forces.
According to Fars News Agency, he added that none of the terrorists could escape, noting that other reports about the details of the attack are not confirmed.
Meantime, Head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Public Relations Department and IRGC Spokesman General Ramezan Sharif said that the terrorists who attacked people during the Armed Forces' parades in Ahwaz were affiliated to al-Ahwaziya stream which is nourished by Saudi Arabia.
He added that the terrorists aimed to overshadow the magnificence of the Iranian Armed Forces' parades.
General Sharif said that people were also invited to watch the parades and the terrorists both fired at people and the Armed Forces.
He said that such attacks are precedent and al-Ahwaziya terrorist group had earlier fired at the convoys of people who visited the Southern cities of Iran which resisted against Saddam's aggression during the 8-year Iraqi-imposed war against Iran in 1980s.
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