Tehran Bombing

[The Thriller]

The first in many years. Iran has been largely sheltered from suicide bombing. So today's attack is pretty shocking.

ISIS (Sunni Muslims) claims responsibility. However, there might be evidence to suggest that Saudi Arabia (not on Trump's travel ban list) might have aided in the attack. This will only work to exacerbate relations between Sunnis and Shia Muslims. Iran is a predominantly Shia state (as is Iraq). However, the Middle-East world is predominantly Sunni. It will be interesting to see if this changes anything in regards to Iran's government. Currently, their president is fairly moderate. However, as we've seen here in the United States, when terrorism strikes governments take increasingly draconian measures measures to ensure security. Will Iran cut some of their moderate reforms? Will this isolate them further from the rest of the Middle-East? Will they support Assad and Russia further? Will they ramp up attacks on ISIS?

This article gives you background on their President. Useful information in case he or his reforms come under fire because of this latest act of terror.

https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/16/middleeast/iran-election-beginners-guide/index.html

Rouhani was a key player in the 2015 deal with the US and world powers to curtail Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, and has overseen a period of growing normalization of relations with the West. A Rouhani win would mean that Iran could continue to move ahead with its end of the nuclear deal relatively uninterrupted. The deal is considered the landmark of Rouhani's tenure and he will be keen to see it through. A hardliner win would pose a considerable threat to the continuation of the nuclear deal. Iran's conservative camp, backed by Khamenei, have been vocal critics of the deal. They've also criticized Rouhani for pandering to the West, signaling that a hardliner win would mean a shifting of diplomatic gears and a possible heightening of tensions with the international community.