Iran envoy blames Israel for Bangkok bombings

Iranian ambassador to Thailand Majid Bizmark has said the bombings in Bangkok were organised by “Zionist regime” Israel as a provocation against the image of Iran and the Iranian-Thai relations.

“If we follow the issue closely and wisely, we’ll find out who is behind the scenario. There are some things I cannot say, but as I mentioned, in this scenario, the first suspect is Zionists,” Bizmark said in an interview to local daily The Nation.

He said Iran strongly condemns the actions of those responsible for the bombings.

He added that the Iranian embassy has deep doubts that the suspects, arrested by Thai and Malaysian authorities, were indeed citizens of Iran, despite the fact that, according to the immigration police, they moved to Thailand with Iranian passports.

“We don’t know who they are… they could be anybody,” he said.

A blast occurred Feb 14 in Bangkok in a two-storeyed residential building. Three Iranian citizens, who rented the house, tried to escape after the incident.

Thai authorities said they were holding two Iranian suspects, Mohammad Hazaei, who was arrested at Bangkok’s International Airport as he tried to take a plane to Malaysia and Saeid Moradi, whose legs were blown off by his own bomb.

Masoud Sedaghatzadeh was arrested by Malaysian authorities.

A fourth Iranian, a woman, is suspected of renting the house where the first device exploded.

The investigation revealed that the woman was able to leave Thailand before Feb 14 and has already returned to Iran.

Thai police have said they were looking for one more suspect in the case, who also entered Thailand on the Iranian passport. The 52-year-old suspect was teaching the younger members of the group how to create plastic explosives.

The Iranian ambassador said: “You can see this kind of scenario taking place in different countries some months ago, like a chain… one after another. And it shows who is behind this scenario, which is dangerous for the stability and peace in the region.”

“All these incidents or scenarios were prepared and directed by elements of the Zionist regime. They started this chain by sending fabricated news all around the world. They are the first suspects,” he added.

Israel blames Iran over attacks in Bangkok, New Delhi and Georgia. Iran has denied the accusations.