Iran says bomb attack foiled in Shiraz on day of shooting

(Reuters) -Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday that its intelligence unit had foiled a bomb attack in the southern city of Shiraz, scene of a deadly shooting at a shrine on Wednesday.

Fars news, close to the Revolutionary Guards, quoted an unnamed security official as saying the bomb was found on Wednesday after the shrine attack. "It was a remote incendiary bomb," it said.

Sepah News - the Guards own news agency, which first reported the incident - said the bomb was found in the city's busy Mo'ali Abad Street.

The attack took place amid widespread anti-government protests. Iran's clerical rulers have faced nationwide demonstrations since the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, on Sept. 16.

Wednesday's shooting, which was claimed by Islamic State, killed 15 worshippers at the Shah Cheragh shrine.

Nationwide demonstrations organised by the government against the shooting were held following Friday prayers. Funerals were also due to take place for the victims.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Thursday to retaliate against those threatening the country's security, and officials said they had arrested a gunman who carried out the attack at the shrine.

(dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; editing by John Stonestreet, William Maclean)