Ehud Barak blames Iran for attacks, as an Iranian is hurt in Bangkok
Bangkok (AsiaNews) – An Iranian man was injured by a bomb in the afternoon in the Thai capital of Bangkok. The blast injured four other people. Thai police arrested another Iranian man at the airport after it discovered explosive materials in a house rented by three Iranians in Soi Pridiphanomyong 31.
For Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, today’s bombs in Bangkok and yesterday’s in New Delhi and Tbilisi (Georgia) are the work of Iran and Hizbollah, “who pose a danger to the stability of the region and the world”.
Thai government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng said police reported the house was being used to make bombs and had uncovered a cache of explosives and remote control detonating devices. She added that a bomb went off inside the rented house and two of the three men fled.
The third man, identified as Saeid Moradi, followed and tried to hail a taxi, which refused to stop. Police said he threw a bomb at the taxi, injuring the driver, and ran off.
When police spotted him, he threw a third bomb at them, but it bounced off a tree and blew his legs off. He was rushed to Kluaynamthai Hospital.
Ms Thitima said investigators were now trying to find out if an attack was being organised or a suicide mission was planned.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has contacted the Iranian government to find out if the Iranian men are on its terrorist watch list.
Speaking in Singapore, where he is on a visit, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the attempted bombing in Bangkok proves that Iran and its proxies continue operating in the ways of terror. "Iran and Hezbollah are relentless terror elements who pose a danger to the stability of the region and the world," he said in a statement.
The bombs in Thailand come a day after Israeli diplomats were targeted in India and Georgia. In this case, too, Israel blamed Iran and its Lebanese allies, Hizbollah.
In India, the wife of an Israeli defence official in New Delhi was hurt on her way to pick up her children from school. Her car was destroyed when a motorcyclist placed an explosive device at a red light on the vehicle. Three other people were also hurt.
In the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, a similar device was discovered on the car of a local staff member of the Israeli Embassy, but was defused by the police.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pointed the finger at Iran and Hizbollah. “In recent months, we have witnessed several attempts to attack Israeli citizens and Jews in several countries, including Azerbaijan, Thailand and others,” the Israeli leader said. “Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, were behind all of these attempted attacks.”
At the same time, he agrees that Monday’s attacks resembled those that have killed five of Iran’s nuclear scientists in recent years.
Tehran, which has denied responsibility for the attacks in India and Georgia, has blamed Israel for those assassinations, contending that they are part of a violent campaign to stop its nuclear programme.
Indian officials pledged to conduct a thorough investigation. If it were found that Tehran was involved in the case, India would be forced to take steps against Iran, one of its biggest trading partners.
Whilst many Western powers are boycotting Iranian oil and have imposed sanctions on banking transactions with Iran, India has refused to do the same because it is heavily dependent on Iranian oil.
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19/05/2021 10:04
