Iran Condemns Fatal Attack on Pakistan Political Rally

TEHRAN (Defapress) –In a statement on Friday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi denounced the attack and offered condolences to the government and people of Pakistan as well as the families of the victims.

At least 128 people have died in two separate suicide attacks in Pakistan that targeted the convoy of a political candidate in this month's general election.

In the southwest town of Dringarh, about 35km south of the Balochistan provincial capital Quetta, a suicide attacker targeted a rally of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), killing at least 119 people, hospital officials told Al Jazeera.

The BAP's candidate Siraj Raisani was running for election to the provincial assembly in his home district of Mastung, where the attack took place. The area has been the site of several attacks by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) armed group, although those have mostly targeted Shiite Muslim pilgrims bound for Iran.

Ethnic Baloch nationalists, who are fighting for independence from Pakistan, have also claimed several attacks on election candidates in the region in recent days.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan is heading to the polls on July 25.

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