Iran has denounced the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya, saying such crimes by the ISIL Takfiri militants are in line with the Israeli regime’s interests.

“The perpetrators of this heinous act are pursuing ominous goals in line with the Zionist regime’s [Israel] interests by inflaming religious, ethnic and tribal sentiments,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Monday.

She added that the terrorists seek to damage relations among followers of divine religions and the ties among Muslim countries.

The Iranian spokesperson also stressed the importance of maintaining vigilance at all levels in confronting plots and suspicious measures as well as the dangerous ramifications of the spread of extremism and terrorism in the region.

The ISIL Takfiri terrorists released a five-minute video on Sunday showing the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya.

The video showed the handcuffed hostages dressed in orange jumpsuits, similar to previous ISIL victims, kneeling down along the seaside near the Libyan capital city of Tripoli.

The ISIL had earlier published the photos of the 21 Egyptian workers, claiming that the pictures were taken moments before their decapitation.

The workers, whose photos were published in the latest online edition of the ISIL magazine Dabiq, were reportedly abducted in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte in two attacks in December last year and January.

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