Iranian FM Condoles with Egyptians in Arabic

“We condemn the cruel bombings of churches in Egypt and offer our condolences to Egyptian brothers,” Zarif said in an Arabic post on his Twitter account.

“The region needs unity against terrorism and extremism,” he went on to say in his Monday message.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman had earlier denounced the bomb explosions at two Coptic churches in various cities in northern Egypt, warning of bids to sow discord among followers of different divine religions.

“Such criminal measures are planned and implemented in order to incite sectarian strife and create terror and division among followers of divine religions,” Bahram Qassemi said on Sunday.

He stressed the importance of cooperation and vigilance among regional governments and nations to thwart such plots.

“We resolutely condemn any act of aggression against religious sites and gatherings and targeting of defenseless civilians under any pretext and with any motivation,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

In the first of the twin attacks in Egypt, at least 27 people were killed and 78 others injured after a bomb went off inside St. George’s Church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta.

A few hours later, a terrorist rushed toward St. Mark’s Cathedral in the coastal city of Alexandria, the historic seat of Christendom in Egypt, killing at least 16 people and wounding 41 others, the Interior Ministry said.

Later, the ISIS terrorist group in a statement claimed responsibility for both church bombings in the Arab country.