DHAKA: Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon narrowly escaped a twin suicide bombing outside the embassy that killed 23 people, including an aide and four guards.

An Iranian diplomatic source said on Wednesday, reports The Straits Times.

‘Ambassador Ghazanfar Rokn-Abadi was on his way with cultural attache Ibrahim Ansari to see Lebanese culture minister Gaby Layyoun,’ the Iranian diplomatic source said of Tuesday’s attack.

‘The attache was waiting in the car near the entrance when the first suicide attacker blew himself up. The ambassador, who would have left the building within a minute, went back.’

Ansari and four embassy guards were among the dead, said Iran’s deputy foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who arrived in Beirut on Wednesday.

BDST: 2028 HRS, NOV 20, 2013
RoR/MZR