Chavez strongly condemns suicide attack in Iran

CARACAS, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday strongly condemned the Sunday suicide attack in Sistan-Baluchestan province in Iran, which resulted in dozens of deaths and many injuries.

"The Venezuela government manifests its most sincere words of condolence to the brave people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the relatives of the victims of this crime, which will not achieve to terrify or intimidate the Persian civilization," said a statement issued by the Venezuelan foreign ministry.

Chavez also expressed his confidence in the Iranian authorities to identify and punish the mastermind of the attack, which he described as "despicable."

"Venezuela reaffirms the importance of the revolutionary brotherhood ties with the Islamic Republic and People of Iran ... in its historical struggle to reach its prosperity and peaceful development," Chavez said.

Early on Sunday, a deadly bomb attack occurred in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan near Iran's border with Pakistan, killing at least 40 people, including a number of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders, and wounding 30others.

The Sunni rebel group Jundallah (God's soldiers) has claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide attack, the reports said.

Expressing condolence over the incident, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that the "terrorist attack" was carried out by foreign-bound criminals.