Bahram Qassemi, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said yesterday that Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Nematullo Emomzoda, has been summoned by Foreign Ministry’s director-general for Eurasian affairs to convey Iran’s protest to the Tajik officials’ behavior regarding assassination of foreign cyclists and leveling accusations against Iran. 

During the meeting, Tajik envoy was reportedly informed that providing wrong address will encourage Takfiri (takfiri is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim (or an adherent of another Abrahamic faith) of apostasy) terrorists to escalate acts of violence and attempt to create religious division and publicizing it by certain circles and media will bring the country nothing but tension, insecurity and further acts of terror.

Condemning assassination of innocent cyclists as inhuman acts, Qassemi said that no doubt that indifference towards Salafi-Takfiri thought and promoting extremism are plots of enemies against regional peace and stability.

The Foreign Ministry’s director-general for Eurasian affairs reportedly also told Tajik ambassador that Iran is ready to share its experience and facilities with the friendly countries to counter the extremist Takfiris with an aim of consolidating regional peace and stability and creating an atmosphere for stepping up regional states’ welfare and happiness.

The Tajik ambassador, for his part, expressed regret over what has happened, saying that he would convey the Iranian government’s protests to the Tajik officials.

Recall, the Interior Ministry of Tajikistan has blamed the Islamic Renascence Party (IRPT) for the deadly attack on foreign cyclists in the Danghara district.  The ministry identified the alleged leader as Hussein Abdusamadov and said that he had undergone training in Iran.