In a recent revelation, sources familiar with the matter disclosed that Iran had provided Russia with advance warning regarding a potential terrorist operation on Russian soil prior to the tragic Crocus City Hall massacre near Moscow last month.

The attack, which occurred on March 22nd at the Crocus City Hall, marked the deadliest assault within Russia in two decades, as gunmen wielding automatic weapons indiscriminately targeted concertgoers, resulting in the loss of at least 144 lives.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the violence.

Notably, the United States had also issued a warning to Russia regarding the likelihood of a militant Islamist attack.

However, Moscow, deeply distrustful of Washington’s intentions, downplayed that intelligence.

Despite this, it is more challenging for Russia to dismiss intelligence from its diplomatic ally, Iran, on the attack, which has also raised questions over the effectiveness of Russian security services.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Iran blasts, which were the bloodiest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

According to U.S. intelligence sources, ISIS-K carried out both the Jan. 3 attacks in Iran and the March 22 shootings in Moscow.

While ISIS had once occupied large swathes of Iraq and Syria, it was declared territorially defeated in 2017. However, ISIS-K, one of its most fearsome branches, has raised the group’s profile again with large-scale bloodshed. The group emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and quickly established a reputation for extreme brutality.

Regarding the impending attack, Reuters sources noted that the information provided by Tehran to Moscow lacked specific details regarding timing and the exact target. However, it hinted at the scale of the planned operation, with indications that certain members of the terrorist group had already travelled to Russia in preparation.

In response to the Reuters report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, “I do not know anything about this.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry did not provide any comment on the matter.

The White House also refrained from commenting. A source familiar with U.S. intelligence on the impending attack in Russia stated that it was based on interceptions of “chatter” among ISIS-K militants.

Challenging U.S. assertions, Russia has suggested that Ukraine may have been linked to the attack, although no evidence has been provided to support this claim.

The involvement of Tajik nationals in both the Kerman bombings and the Moscow attack highlights the transnational nature of terrorism, particularly with ISIS-K’s aggressive recruitment efforts in Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic.

The virulent hatred harboured by ISIS towards Shi’ites, evidenced by past attacks targeting Shi’ite communities in Iran, underscores the urgent need for solidarity in confronting extremist ideologies.

As Iran’s dominant sect, Shi’ites have been the target of ISIS-affiliated attacks in Afghanistan as well.

Earlier attacks claimed by Islamic State include twin bombings in 2017 targeting Iran’s parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic’s founder.

Main Image: Андрей Воробьев: Спасатели круглосуточно работают на месте теракта в Crocus City Hall via Wikipedia.

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