Report: Iran warned Moscow days before 144 killed in terrorist attack

It’s getting harder for Russia to brush off reports that it had received multiple terror attack warnings before the concert hall massacre near Moscow on Friday, March 22. Now, Russia’s ally, Iran, is saying it tipped off the Kremlin days before Russia’s deadliest terror attack in 20 years, which left at least 144 people dead.

Tehran said it forewarned Moscow about a possible “big terrorist attack.” Iranian intelligence reported it learned of a potential attack during interrogation of alleged terrorists arrested in connection with a pair of bombings in the Iranian city of Kerman.

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“As Iran has been a victim of terror attacks for years, Iranian authorities fulfilled their obligation to alert Moscow based on information acquired from those arrested terrorists,” a senior security official told Reuters.

However, when asked by Reuters about the intelligence, a Kremlin spokesperson claimed he did not know “anything about this.” Meanwhile, a second Reuters source, who asked to remain anonymous, claims that Iranian intelligence lacked specific details, like timing and location.

U.S. intelligence also said it learned of a planned ambush by eavesdropping on “chatter” among Islamic State militant group fighters, and repeatedly warned Russia about a possible terror attack. However, Moscow dismissed the intelligence, reportedly skeptical of a foreign adversary.

ISIS-K has since claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran and the concert hall killings near Moscow. Despite the reported claims, the Kremlin has linked Ukraine to the attack, without any evidence. Kyiv and the U.S. have said there’s no truth to Russia’s claim.

The acts of terror in Iran and Russia both reportedly involve Tajik nationals. ISIS-K reportedly recruits heavily from poverty-stricken Tajikistan, which was part of the former Soviet Union.

The Iranian intelligence reports come as Tehran and Moscow have deepened ties militarily during the war in Ukraine, and both remain under Western sanctions.

However, recently Iran has raised concerns about the capabilities of Russian security forces amid the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall.