IRAN has accused the United States and its allies of involvement in the deadly attack on a military parade Saturday and warned of “revenge” for the tragedy.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the attack “is the extension of the plots by the U.S. allies in the region, seeking to create insecurity in Iran,” following the terror attack in the southwestern city of Ahvaz that killed at least 25 and injured 60 others.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also blamed the U.S. and Israel for provoking the attack, which was carried out by four armed men clad in the uniform of Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps during an event to mark the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980-88.

Speaking at the funeral ceremony held Monday for the victims, Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami warned the “terrorists” to expect retaliation.

He was backed by the deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Hossein Salami, who said on state television: “You have seen our revenge before ... You will see that our response will be crushing and devastating and you will regret what you have done.”

Thousands of people packed the streets of Ahvaz to mourn the victims of Saturday’s attack, which killed 12 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards as well as children and women.

Al-Ahvazieh, an Iranian Arab-affiliated group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday rejected Teheran’s accusations that Washington and its allies should be held accountable for the attack.

(China Daily)