Tehran has roundly condemned a terror bombing in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which left a number of Iranian pilgrims dead and several others wounded.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Araqchi warned that growing attacks against Iranian pilgrims overseas are part of an ongoing plot to foment religious divisions in the Muslim world.

It lies with the Iraqi government to ensure the security of pilgrims visiting holy sites in the country, said Araqchi, calling on Baghdad to adopt more serious measures to protect the lives of Iranian pilgrims.

At least five Iranian pilgrims were killed and 20 others injured after a car bomb hit their bus north of Baghdad on Saturday.

The bomb exploded on the highway from Balad to Samarra, a provincial police source said.

The attack occurred when a booby-trapped car hit the bus near the city of Samarra, some 110 kilometers north of Baghdad.

This is the second blast against pilgrims travelling the same route this week as a car bomb went off on Monday, killing 14 people and wounding at least 15.

More than 400 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in bombings and other acts of violence in Iraq since the start of May.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said on May 2 that April was the deadliest month in Iraq since 2008 as terrorist attacks killed over 700 people and injured more than 1,600 others across the country.

UNAMI also stated that Baghdad was the worst affected governorate, with a total of 211 killed and nearly 500 injured.


HK