Iran threatens Pakistan, accuses Saudi Arabia, UAE of involvement in car bombing

The head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has threatened to retaliate against neighboring Saudi Arabia and the UAE over a suicide car bombing this week that killed 27 members of the organization.

Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari spoke late Friday at one of two funeral ceremonies for the victims of Wednesday's attack in the central Iranian city of Isfahan. He claimed without providing evidence that the US and Israel ordered Saudi Arabia and the UAE to carry out the attack, which wounded 12.

“We definitely will retaliate,” Jafari said in comments reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency Saturday.

The bombing immediately raised the possibility of Iranian retaliation against the Jaish al-Adl Sunni militant group that claimed responsibility for the attack. It mainly operates near Iran-Pakistan border.

Iran also urged neighboring Pakistan on Saturday to crack down on the militants, or expect military action by Tehran “to punish the terrorists,” state media reported.

“If Pakistan does not carry out its responsibilities, Iran reserves the right to confront threats on its borders... based on international law and will retaliate to punish the terrorists,” Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

In the past Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting militant Sunni groups, which have attacked its security forces. Riyadh has denied the charges.