According to the Iranian newspaper Jomhuri Islami, a bomb concealed in a basket or vase exploded on 27 August 1992 at the Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery 10 miles south of Tehran (The Washington post 30 Aug. 1992). The paper said the blast left "several innocent people killed or wounded" (AP 29 Aug. 1992).

Amnesty International reported that the People's Mojahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI) was responsible for the attack and that Iranian officials placed the death toll at three (Amnesty International 1993, 161).

Additional media sources state that the bombing, one of several simultaneous attacks carried out in Tehran, killed five people but that it was unclear whether local anti-government forces or the Mujahideen-e-Khalq were responsible (Middle East International 11 Sept. 1992, 17).

In October 1992, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq claimed its supporters were responsible for the bombing, and that they had inflicted heavy damage to Khomeini's tomb by setting off three bombs, two within the shrine itself (Reuters 11 Oct. 1992) (The Washington Times 12 Oct. 1992). The organization stated that a number of Iranian Revolutionary Guards were wounded in the attack but that no civilians were hurt (ibid.). It also claimed that although hundreds of people were rounded up and roads around the tomb sealed off following the attack, Iranian officials had failed to capture those responsible (Reuters 11 Oct. 1992).

Official Iranian news agencies had announced earlier that no one was hurt when a single percussion bomb planted by "terrorist elements" exploded in a dustbin outside the shrine and that police had arrested several people (ibid.).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Amnesty International. 1993. Amnesty International Report 1993. New York: Amnesty International U.S.A.

The Associated Press. 29 August 1992. PM Cycle. Anwar Faruqi. "Bomb Explosion Near Khomeini's Shrine Kills Mourners." (NEXIS)

Middle East International [London]. 11 September 1992. No. 433. Safa Haeri. "Bombings in Iran."

Reuters. 11 October 1993. BC Cycle. "Iranian Opposition Group Says Khomeini Tomb Bombed." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 30 August 1992. Final Edition. "Concealed Bomb Explodes in Iranian Cemetery." (NEXIS)

The Washington Times. 12 October 1992. Final Edition. "Resistance Rocks Khomeini's Tomb." (NEXIS)

Attachments

Amnesty International. 1993. Amnesty International Report 1993. New York: Amnesty International U.S.A.

The Associated Press. 29 August 1992. PM Cycle. Anwar Faruqi. "Bomb Explosion Near Khomeini's Shrine Kills Mourners." (NEXIS)

Middle East International [London]. 11 September 1992. No. 433. Safa Haeri. "Bombings in Iran."

Reuters. 11 October 1993. BC Cycle. "Iranian Opposition Group Says Khomeini Tomb Bombed." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 30 August 1992. Final Edition. "Concealed Bomb Explodes in Iranian Cemetery." (NEXIS)

The Washington Times. 12 October 1992. Final Edition. "Resistance Rocks Khomeini's Tomb." (NEXIS)