The attack on a bus in a southwestern province took place in the Iranian month which ended on April 19, the semi-official Mehr News Agency said. The killed cleric was from a town in the eastern province of Khorassan. The Intelligence Ministry's "agents succeeded in taking in 11 members of the terrorist, mercenary band linked to foreigners in a number of operations", it said, without giving further details.The Islamic Republic has in the past accused the United States and Britain of trying to destabilize Iran by supporting rebels, mainly those in sensitive border areas. Last month, Iran made an official protest to the United States, via a Swiss intermediary, about what Tehran says is Washington's support for a group blamed for bombing an Iranian mosque. Iran has said the United States, Britain and Israel were involved in the explosion in a mosque in the southern city of Shiraz in April that killed 14 people and wounded 200.
Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic ties since 1980. They are now embroiled in disputes over Iran's nuclear plans, which Washington says are aimed at building bombs, and what U.S. officials say is Iranian meddling in Iraq. Tehran denies both charges.