US condemns blasts in Thailand

WASHINGTON—The United States on Tuesday condemned blasts in Thailand and voiced concern about a worldwide “uptick” in such violence, including some with alleged links to Iran.

“We obviously condemn this attack,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of a series of explosions that rattled the Thai capital Tuesday.

“We seem to have an uptick in this kind of violence. We’re concerned about it. Some of these have been linked to Iran.”

Nuland said Washington was awaiting the results of investigations into the attacks in Thailand as well as attacks Monday in India and Georgia, but noted previous attacks linked to Iran and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement.

“These events do come on the heels of other disrupted attacks targeted at Israel and Western interests, including an Iranian-sponsored attack in Baku, Azerbaijan, and a Hezbollah-linked attack in Bangkok, Thailand,” she said.

The explosions in Bangkok maimed a fleeing suspect believed to be an Iranian national.

Israel linked the attack to a wider terrorist threat, including an attack in New Delhi on Monday that seriously wounded an Israeli diplomat, and a bid to blow up an Israeli embassy car the same day in Tbilisi that was foiled.

Bangkok has been on edge since Thai police charged a Lebanese man last month suspected of planning an attack in the capital following a US warning of a possible terrorist strike against tourist areas.

Thai authorities alleged the Lebanese man had links to Hezbollah, an Iranian- and Syrian-backed Muslim Shiite group that is blacklisted as a terrorist organization by Washington.

In January, officials in Baku, Azerbaijan said police had detained two people accused of plotting attacks on prominent foreigners masterminded by a man with alleged links to Iranian intelligence.