Sputnik - On June 7, Tehran was hit my coordinated terror attacks in which 17 people were reportedly killed and around 50 others were injured.


Unidentified attackers opened fire inside�the Iranian Parliament in�Tehran and took several people hostage. In a parallel development, armed individuals attacked the Mausoleum of�Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of�the 1979 Islamic Revolution.


Sputnik Italia spoke with�Pejman Abdolmohammadi, an expert on�Iran and a researcher at�the London School of�Economics and Political Science, about�how these recent attacks will have grave consequences on�the internal politics of�Iran and the region as�a whole.
�This attack occurred during�a very difficult moment, when the balance of�power in�the Middle East is being put to�the test. I believe that the terror attacks in�Iran will have serious consequences for�the balance of�power in�the Persian Gulf, as�there is a risk of�escalation of�tensions between�Iran and Saudi Arabia,� Abdolmohammadi said.


He further said that in�terms of�Iran�s domestic policy it is possible to�see a strengthening of�conservative forces and a �slight reduction in�the influence of�pragmatism of�President Ruhani.�
�It seems to�me that the new strategy of�the Trump administration will hit the countries of�the Persian Gulf hard and change the balance of�power in�the Middle East,� Abdolmohammadi said.


According to�him, Trump's first move in�the region has been to�weaken Iran and Qatar; however the analyst feels that the story does not end there.


�The next player in�this shake-up will be Saudi Arabia itself. I do not believe that the alliance between�Trump and Saudi Arabia will last a long time, it is rather a short-term strategic alliance,� the analyst said.

He added that Russia currently has an opportunity to�strengthen its influence in�Qatar and Iran.

The analyst said that without�a doubt, Russia's influence in�Iran is already quite strong, but�now Russia can strengthen its position even further.
�Russia should take into�account the interests of�China though, which, most likely, will want to�take advantage of�the political chaos in�the region,� he said.


As for�the situation in�Iran following�the terror attacks, Abdolmohammadi said that Iranians are waiting for�the government's response.
�These terrorist attacks brought the crisis of�Persian nationalism to�the forefront; therefore the reaction on�part of�the Republic is expected. It is no longer talks about�issues between�Shiites and Sunnis; the conflict has moved to�another level, it is between�Arabs and Persians now,� Abdolmohammadi said


It is also quite possible that Iran will react to�these attacks in�economic terms by�going against�some countries of�the Persian Gulf, in�particular against�Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, coordinated terror attacks were staged in�the Iranian Parliament, as�well as�the mausoleum of�Imam Khomeini in�Tehran. According to�media reports, at�least 17 people were killed and around�50 others injured in�the assaults. Daesh reportedly claimed responsibility for�both terror acts.