Iran Condemns Assassination Attempt against Zimbabwean President

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly condemned Saturday’s assassination attempt against Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa during a campaign rally in the city of Bulawayo, which injured a number of people.

News ID: 70890

Date: 24 June 2018 - 11:48

TEHRAN (Defpress) – In a statement released on Sunday, Qassemi wished a complete recovery to those injured in the blast and expressed sympathy with their families.

He further deplored any resort to violence to push ahead with one’s political goals and expressed the hope that Zimbabwe’s upcoming elections would be held in peace and security through unity and vigilance of all the people in the African country.

Mnangagwa escaped injury in the explosion at a political rally on Saturday and vowed the “cowardly act” would not derail Zimbabwe’s first election since the ouster of former strongman Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa, a former Mugabe loyalist installed after the army ousted his erstwhile patron, said the object had “exploded a few inches away from me, but it is not my time.”

The blast came as Zimbabwe prepared to hold its first post-Mugabe presidential election on July 30, with 75-year-old Mnangagwa and 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, the main contenders.

Authorities gave no details of what had caused the explosion at Mnangagwa’s first rally in Bulawayo, an opposition stronghold where the ruling ZANU-PF has not won in national elections since 2000.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast and the run-up to this year’s vote had been relatively peaceful, unlike previous elections which were marred by violence, mostly against opposition members by ZANU-PF supporters.

“The campaign so far has been conducted in a free and peaceful environment, and we will not allow this cowardly act to get in our way as we move towards elections,” Mnangagwa said.

“Its just an element of defeatists in the struggle of freedom. The country is peaceful.”

Mnangagwa said the injured included Vice President Kembo Mohadi, the wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the environment minister and the deputy speaker of parliament.

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