Islamic State claims attacks on Iran's parliament, shrine

As the parliament siege was unfolding, gunmen and suicide bombers attacked the shrine of Iran's revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which is located just outside Tehran.

The attackers who entered Iran's parliament building on Wednesday were dressed as women, said Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari, APA's Tehran bureau reported.

Isis has also claimed the suicide bomb attack on a nearby shrine to Ayatollah Khomeini, widely seen as the founder of the Iranian republic.

An official at Khomeini's tomb said "three or four" people had entered via the western entrance and opened fire, killing the gardener and wounding several people, according to the Fars news agency.

The second attack - at the shrine of Khomeini, the nation's first supreme leader - came within an hour of the assault on the legislature. Though most Iranians are Shiite, including separatists in Ahvaz, the eastern Baloch region is majority Sunni, although there are no recent census figures available.

Jihadist groups have clashed frequently with security forces along Iran's borders with Iraq and Afghanistan, but the country has largely escaped attacks within its urban centres.

State news agency IRNA said five people had been injured by gunfire at the mausoleum.

The so-called Islamic State group (IS) has claimed it carried out the attacks, which would be a first in Iran. Despite unconfirmed reports of a hostage situation, state television said parliament had resumed, and broadcast footage of what it said was the opening session proceeding normally.

It is now unclear how the attacker or attackers entered the parliament building, which is highly fortified, with multiple security checkpoints. "Two persons were killed in the parliament".

Jaish al-Adl (or the Army of Justice) is a Sunni militant group that has carried out several attacks on Iranian security forces mainly in Sistan-Baluchestan. "Do you think we will go away?"

State TV said one of the attackers was killed by security guards and that a woman was arrested following Wednesday's attack.

The broadcaster previously reported that one of the wounded included a security guard. One of the attackers was shot dead by the police.

"Iran is an active and effective pillar in the fight against terrorists and they want to damage it", he said.

The unusual attacks prompted the Interior Ministry to call for an urgent security meeting.

"They (hardliners) are very angry and will use every opportunity to grow in strength to isolate Rouhani", said one of the officials.