Imam Reza shrine bombing
| Imam Reza shrine bombing | |
|---|---|
The Imam Reza Shrine, where the bomb explosion took place | |
| Location | Mashhad, Iran |
| Date | 20 June 1994 (Ashura 1415 AH) |
| Deaths | 25 or 26 |
| Injured | At least 70 or over 200 |
| Accused | Ramzi Yousef, Abdul Shakoor, MEK, Al-Haraka al-Islamiya al-Iraniya (Sunni group claiming responsibility) |
The Imam Reza shrine bombing refers to a bomb explosion that occurred on 20 June 1994 in a crowded prayer hall at the shrine of Ali al-Ridha, the eighth Imam of Shia, located in Mashhad, Iran. To maximize the number of casualties, the explosion took place on Ashura, one of the holiest days for Shia muslims, when hundreds of pilgrims had gathered to commemorate the death of their third Imam, Husayn ibn Ali.
The attack left at least 25 dead and at least 70 injured. The bomb was equivalent to 4.5 kilograms (10 lb) of TNT, according to experts. Although a Sunni militant group claimed responsibility, the Iranian government laid the blame on the People's Mujahedin of Iran, and others accused a Pakistani militant.