Most of the 57 dead in Diyala were Iranians, who have flocked to Iraq’s Shi’ite holy sites in the millions since Sunni Arab dictator Saddam Hussein was ousted in the 2003 invasion.
“Some are trying to weaken the deep historical and growing ties between the two nations of Iran and Iraq and to justify the illegitimate presence of foreigners with the continuation of insecurity in this country and in the region,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi as saying.
