Iran’s authorities have “no choice” but to cover for the deadly drone attack that killed one of its citizens and injured dozens of others, a human rights group has said.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday that an “armed drone” fired a missile at a bus carrying Iranian parliamentarians, killing one and injuring dozens.
The attack occurred on Tuesday, at a time when Iran is facing increasing pressure from the United States and Europe over its alleged role in the murder of four American journalists.
The government denies the accusations.
The IRNA report quoted a member of parliament, Mohammad-Mahmoud Bahrami, as saying: “The drone was flying over the parliament building and was hitting the car carrying the parliamentarians who were waiting to take part in a meeting.
The vehicle was stopped and a group of armed men arrived.
They fired several shots at the car and killed the two passengers.”
Bahrami said the two killed in the attack were members of parliament’s security detail.
The parliament was closed for a few hours and members of the public were allowed to attend the meeting, but the parliament has since been reopened.
Iran has a strict legal code that bars foreigners from taking part in political activity.
But the law also permits the state to protect its own citizens from outside threats.
In the aftermath of the assassination of journalist Mohammad Javad Zarif in January, the Iranian government has been cracking down on its own media.
It has banned a number of outlets and activists, as well as some local journalists, in a crackdown that has included the closure of local news stations and online outlets.