They described the attack as “a heavenly gift (that) has come for Iran’s criminal rulers”, explaining that the Iranian regime now has a justification to carry out further suppressive measures and criminal acts in the country.

They said that the regime will “relate everything and anything to this, to provide a pretext to legitimize future criminal measures in the past, present and future”. They also pointed out that state-run television is already doing this.

The letter read: “These measures that lead to the death and injury of innocent people were planned by the regime itself to bring an end to the current atmosphere in Iran where everyone is questioning the 1980s executions.

There is a threat that:

– The regime intends to use this as a pretext to justify their crimes in the 1980s and the 1988 massacre,

– They intend to crackdown any demand for freedom, and those protesting for their most investment, under the pretext of such terrorist measures,

– All the questions in today’s society and amongst the youth will be placed in the shadows of security issues, and they will refuse to answer,

– Increasing the number of executions and with a huge lie apparently being ISIS (their own ally in Syria and Iraq) has officially accepted responsibility; and kill a number of our Sunni brothers.”

The prisoners called on all human rights organisations to take note of the threat to their lives that are at risk because of “bogus” justifications by the regime.

As the prisoners warned, the regime has been ramping up suppressive measures. On Friday, numerous young, Sunni activists were arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Reports indicate that dozens of people were arrested and were faced with violent actions and insults. It is not known where the people who were arrested were taken.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that his mercenaries should act as they see fit. He said: “I constantly tell all intellectual, cultural and Jihadi cores of the country to take actions autonomously like what we call it in the battlefield as the ‘fire-at-will forma’. Of course, there are headquarters that command at war. The commander orders the ‘fire-at-will forma’ in case the connection is cut with the headquarters or some defects are identified. Well, you are supposed to be the commanders of the soft war as well in case you detect any defect in the central headquarters. Therefore, you shall order the ‘fire-at-will forma’. You must take decisions, think, find, move, and take measures on your own.”