Suicide attack kills senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard 
t least six senior commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are among at least 30 people who were killed in a suicide attack in southeastern Iran.
The suicide bombing, which occurred early on Sunday morning in the city of Pisheen, in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province, wounded another 40 people, according to the state news agency.
General Nourali Shoushtari, the head of the Revolution
More..ary Guards' armed forces, and General Mohammadzadeh, the Guard's commander in Sistan-Baluchestan, were killed.
The attack, the deadliest in Iran in recent years, occurred as officers were preparing to hold a meeting between locals from Shia and Sunni communities.
Ali Larijani, Iran's parliamentary speaker, confirmed the deaths in an address to parliament.
"We express our condolences for their martyrdom ... The intention of the terrorists was definitely to disrupt security in Sistan-Baluchestan province,'' Larijani said.
West blamed
A Sunni group called Jundallah (Soldiers of God) claimed responsibility for the attack, according to state media.
The group has been accused by Tehran of launching regular attacks in the province and is strongly opposed to the predominantly Shia government.
"Iranian officials are very confident that the terrorist group behind the attack was funded by the Saudis and supported by the Americans and the British"
Mohammad Marandi, assistant professor at University of Tehran
Mohammad Marandi, an assistant professor at the University of Tehran, told Al Jazeera that officials suspected the group was linked to Saudi Arabia, the US and Britain.
"Iranian officials are very confident that the terrorist group behind the attack was funded by the Saudis and supported by the Americans and the British," he said.
"I think the greatest blow [from this attack] is to any Iranian trust with regards to the Americans.
"On the one hand the Americans are talking about rapprochement and building a new future, yet at the same time we see the Americans supporting groups in [Iran's] Kurdish regions as well as in Sistan-Baluchestan."
But Washington denies involvement with the group and condemned the attack soon after it occurred. Less..
Added: Oct 18 2009 In: middle_east
Recorded on: Oct 17 2009
By: agharazi 
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