Sayeed Muhammad: At least 24 people, including civilians and a journalist, have died being victim to a deadly gun attack in an Iranian military parade in the south-western city of Ahvaz.
The incident also left more than 50 people injured, BBC reports quoting Iranian state media say, adding, the gunmen opened fire from a park near the parade and were wearing military uniforms.

An anti-government Arab group, Ahvaz National Resistance, and Islamic State (IS) have both claimed the attack, with the foreign minister blaming “terrorists paid by a foreign regime”.

“Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their US masters accountable,” the minister added.

Iran has previously accused its regional rival, Saudi Arabia, of supporting separatist activity amongst Iran’s Arab minority.

Meanwhile, an Iranian military spokesman claimed the attackers were not from IS, but “were trained and organised by two Gulf countries”, and had ties to the US and Israel.

According to Fars news agency, the attack ensued at 9am local time, lasted about 10 minutes, and appeared to have involved four gunmen.

The attackers fired at civilians and attempted to attack military officials on the podium, it continued.

Eight members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard are among those killed.

“There are a number of non-military victims, including women and children who had come to watch the parade,” Irna news agency said.

Two of the gunmen were killed by security forces, while the other two were arrested, according to the local deputy governor.

Iran is marking the anniversary of the beginning of the 1980-88 war with Iraq with several military parades across the nation.

A spokesman for the Ahvaz National Resistance, an umbrella group that claims to defend the rights of the Arab minority in Khuzestan, said the group was behind the attack.

The spokesman did not say whether the group had links to other countries.

IS’s Amaq agency has also claimed it carried out the attack. However the group provided no evidence that it had been involved.