Iran slams Beirut blasts as inhumane and spiteful'

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham strongly condemned the deadly blasts that targeted the Iranian embassy in Beirut on Tuesday.

Afkham called the blasts as "inhumane crime and spiteful measure by the Zionists (Israel) and their mercenaries," according to IRNA.

She also confirmed the earlier reports that Iran's cultural Attache Ebrahim Ansari was killed in the twin blasts.

The Iranian spokeswoman condoled with the families of those killed in the incident.  

According to IRNA, the blast caused at least 23 dead and 146 injured.

Since the blasts took place near Iran's embassy in Beirut, Iran 's Foreign Ministry is following up the case with "sensitivity and special care" and will provide further information about the incident to the public, Afkham told IRNA.

According to IRNA, one of the blasts was near the main gate of the embassy, and the other one hit the residential buildings of the Iranian embassy.