Tehran sympathizes with Somalians on Thursday blast

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast here Friday voiced sympathy with Somalian government and nation on behalf of Iranian government over Thursday's blast which killed a number of Somalian top governmental officials and ordinary people.

“Such terrorist acts will have no result but escalation of tension and growing human casualty in Somalia,” said Mehmanparast, while condemning the incident.

He said while supporting the legal government of Somalia, Iran still believes that the only solution to the several-year-old crisis in the country is dialogue and peaceful means.

A suicide bomber blew himself up in the middle of a crowded hotel in Mogadishu on Thursday, killing at least 19 people including three government ministers.

The bomber crept into a graduation ceremony of university medical students in the capital of Somalia, killing several young doctors that will be badly needed in the war-torn country.

Ens