Tehran - Iran on Saturday hanged three men for directing the bombing this week of a Shiite mosque in the south-eastern city of Zahedan, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The three were hanged in public near the mosque where the bombing took place Thursday, IRNA said.

Local officials and the Friday prayer leader in Tehran accused the United States of being behind the bombing, but Washington on Friday rejected the accusations and condemned the terrorist attack.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens were injured in the bombing of the Amir al-Momenin mosque, the second-largest mosque in the capital of Sistan-Beluchistan province. It was packed with worshippers at the time of evening prayers on the occasion of a Shiite mourning anniversary.

Bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sistan-Baluchestan is not only a major transit route for narcotics but also has been hit by a string of attacks and kidnappings blamed on the radical Sunni group Jundullah, or Allah's Brigade.

Iran accuses Jundullah - and the United States and Britain - of sowing discord between Shiites, who form the majority of Iranian Muslims, and the Sunni minority living mainly in the south-eastern and south-western provinces of Iran.(dpa)