Tehran's Friday prayer leader says the United States shares the blame for the death of Shia pilgrims slain in Iraq. Speaking at the largest Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said, "While thousands of pilgrims go barefoot to Karbala, a bomb suddenly explodes killing and dismembering hundreds of people. The United States is jointly responsible for the blood that is spilled." On Tuesday, at least 150 pilgrims were killed in an attack in Hilla, south of Baghdad, while other pilgrims have also been gunned down en route to Karbala. Millions of Shia are on pilgrimage to the Iraqi holy city of Karbala for the Arbaeen ceremonies marking the 40th day after the anniversary of the death of Imam Hussein (AS), Shia Islam's third Imam, who was martyred in the seventh-century.
Ayatollah Jannati denounced the terrorists attacks against innocent Iraqi civilians under what he said was the "protection of the United States and Great Britain, who act with the cunning of a fox."