Iran slams terrorist attack, assassination of Shia cleric near Damascus shrine
Iran has strongly condemned a terrorist attack near the Sayyida Zaynab shrine south of the Syrian capital Damascus, which martyred a prominent Shia preacher.
In a statement on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei expressed deep disgust at the heinous crime on Friday, which led to the assassination of Sheikh Farhan Mansour, a member of the Shia sect’s scholarly body and a Friday sermon preacher.
Baghaei said acts of terror against religious sites and scholars in Syria and other countries in West Asia are part of the sinister plot of the Israeli regime and the United States to sow discord and incite division in the region.
It is imperative that all sides remain vigilant in the face of such plots and fulfill their responsibilities to decisively counter terrorism and extremism, he added.
The Iranian spokesperson emphasized the need to identify and punish the perpetrators and supporters of this terrorist crime and improve collective cooperation in the region to uproot terrorism.
He extended his condolences to the family of the martyred cleric as well as the Syrian nation and the community of religious scholars.
Baghaei also reiterated the Syrian transitional government is responsible to ensure security of the Syrian people, scholars and all ethnic and religious groups.
According to a Britain-based monitoring group, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the attack occurred after Mansour left the shrine. Sources cited by SOHR said a hand grenade was thrown into his car near the Safir al-Zahra hotel.
The explosion left Mansour with “very critical injuries,” and he was taken to a hospital. Security forces later imposed a strict cordon around the site of the blast, the monitor added.
The attack comes amid rising sectarian tensions in Syria since the fall of the government of former president Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Minority communities have faced increasing violence, including targeted massacres of Alawites and deadly clashes in Druze-majority areas.
Religious sites have also been targeted. In June, the Mar Elias Church in Damascus was hit by a bombing attack.
The Sayyida Zaynab shrine, located south of the capital, is among the most important Shia holy sites. It is believed to house the tomb of Zaynab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and daughter of Imam Ali (peace be upon them).
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