Suicide Bombing in Iran

And at NYT, "Dozens Die in Suicide Bombing in Iran":

A solemn Shiite religious mourning ceremony near a mosque in southeastern Iran was shattered by a double suicide bombing on Wednesday, leaving at least 39 people dead and many more wounded.

Jundollah, an outlawed insurgent group that has carried out other attacks in the region near the Pakistan border, claimed responsibility. Iranian officials said they had evidence that American agents were responsible, which the United States denied.

“The advanced equipment and facilities of the perpetrators show that this attack was supported by the regional intelligence services of the United States,” said Ali Abdolahi, deputy for security at the Interior Ministry, in comments published on the official IRNA news agency Web site.

Mr. Abdolahi confirmed that two bombers detonated explosive-packed belts on Wednesday morning among crowds gathered outside the Imam Hussein Mosque in the city of Chabahar, near the border with Pakistan. One attacker was said to have been identified by the police and shot before setting off his explosives to little effect. The police arrested a third attacker, according to reports by semiofficial news agencies.

The bombing coincided with the mourning period leading up to Ashura, which commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The mourning period is marked in many countries, including Iraq and Pakistan, where Shiite mourners have also been the targets of terrorist attacks in recent years.

And at CSM, "Iran, Still Haunted by Jundallah Attacks, Blames West."