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Attacks On Khomeini Shrine, Parliament Leave 12 Dead, Official Says

update
Members of Iranian security forces looking at the parliament building in central Tehran.
Members of Iranian security forces looking at the parliament building in central Tehran.

An Iranian official says 12 people have been killed in twin attacks on the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine.

The head of Iran's emergency department, Pir Hossein Kolivand, said 39 people were also wounded in the June 7 attacks in Tehran, and rescue operations were continuing.

It is not clear whether the attackers were included in the death toll.

The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attacks, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said, marking the first time the Sunni militant organization has claimed responsibility for an attack in Shi'ite-majority Iran.

The attacks began midmorning, when officials said assailants dressed as women and armed with Kalashnikov rifles entered the parliament building through the main entrance.

"One of them was shot dead and another one detonated his suicide vest," Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Hossein Zolfaghari said, according to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

IS published a video purporting to show gunmen inside the building and a man wearing a bloody shirt lying on the floor in an office.

After an hourslong siege that ended with four attackers dead, Iranian media reported that the assault on the parliament building was over.

There were earlier reports of a hostage situation.

The situation was also calm at Khomeini's mausoleum in southern Tehran, which had been targeted by a suicide bomber and other assailants.

Press TV reported that three attackers had been arrested.

One assailant detonated a suicide vest, another was killed by the security forces, and the rest of the attackers were arrested, Tehran Governor Hossein Hashemi was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB.

PHOTO GALLERY: Terror In Tehran: Islamic State Claims Deadly Attacks In Iranian Capital (click gallery to open)

Terror In Tehran: Islamic State Group Claims Deadly Attacks In Iranian Capital

Iranian policemen help civilians fleeing from the parliament building.
1/13 Iranian policemen help civilians fleeing from the parliament building.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Iranian police run into position near Tehran's parliament building.  
2/13 Iranian police run into position near Tehran's parliament building.  
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Armed policemen shout from a window of the Iranian parliament building.
3/13 Armed policemen shout from a window of the Iranian parliament building.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Police and civilians near parliament take cover as shots ring out. 
4/13 Police and civilians near parliament take cover as shots ring out. 
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Journalists and armed police at the scene outside the Iranian parliament. 
5/13 Journalists and armed police at the scene outside the Iranian parliament. 
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
A woman is evacuated from the parliament building. 
6/13 A woman is evacuated from the parliament building. 
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Smoke drifts near the parliament building.
7/13 Smoke drifts near the parliament building.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
An Iranian policeman looks out of the parliament building in central Tehran.
8/13 An Iranian policeman looks out of the parliament building in central Tehran.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
A video screen-grab purporting to show a suicide bomb being detonated at Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb, in the south of Tehran. 
9/13 A video screen-grab purporting to show a suicide bomb being detonated at Ayatollah Khomeini's tomb, in the south of Tehran. 
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Security forces gather on the streets around the parliament.
10/13 Security forces gather on the streets around the parliament.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Iranian soldiers take up positions near parliament during the attack.
11/13 Iranian soldiers take up positions near parliament during the attack.
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Policemen in position near the parliament building
12/13 Policemen in position near the parliament building
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
Iranian policemen deployed inside the parliament building
13/13 Iranian policemen deployed inside the parliament building
Several people have been killed after gunmen and suicide bombers targeted the Iranian parliament and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's shrine in twin attacks on June 7. The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for both incidents.
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The two attacks occurred at about the same time and appeared to be coordinated, reports said.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry said the attacks were carried out by "terrorist groups."

"Members of a third group were arrested before being able to carry out any attack," state TV quoted the ministry as also saying.

The speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani, said the "coward terrorists...were seriously confronted," according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

"This is a minor issue but reveals that the terrorists pursue troublemaking," Larijani added.

The attacks come less than a month after President Hassan Rohani, a relative moderate in a country where ultimate power is held by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, convincingly won a second term in a May 19 election.

The Kremlin condemned the attacks in Tehran, saying that "the continuation of a series of terror attacks again underlines the need for coordinated actions in the fight against terror and IS."

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and Tasnim

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