The brutal bomb attack at a petrol station in the city of Al-Hilla south-east of Baghdad, at which buses carrying Shia pilgrims had stopped on the way back from Kerbela, left many dead or injured, including many Iranians. This highlights once more the sheer contempt IS has for human life and the terrorists’ endless hate of centuries-old religious traditions.

We condemn this abhorrent crime in the strongest possible terms. Our thoughts are with the victims of this attack and their families, and we wish those injured a speedy recovery.

We hope people in Iraq will find the strength to stand together united and strong at this difficult time and – together with their Iranian neighbours – to vigorously resist any attempts by ruthless murderers to turn different religious or ethnic communities against each other. They must not be allowed to succeed.