KERMAN, Iran – In Kerman, Iran, at least 103 people were killed and 188 injured in twin blasts near the burial site of military commander Qasem Soleimani on Wednesday. The government has labeled the incident as a terror attack.
The explosions occurred on the fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s death in a US air strike and have the potential to escalate tensions in the region. State TV reported that at least one of the blasts was caused by a bomb, and they came amidst heightened tensions since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
According to IRINN, a state television channel, the first explosion near Soleimani’s grave was caused by a bomb placed inside a car and detonated remotely. Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that the first explosion happened at 3:00 p.m. local time, followed by a more deadly blast 20 minutes later as other pilgrims came to help the injured.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi blamed Israel for the explosions, vowing that it will pay a “heavy price.” No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of a “harsh response.” Khamenei emphasized that the “bright soldiers of the path of Soleimani will not tolerate their wickedness and crimes.”
The United States, while expressing condolences, has stated that it does not have independent information about the explosions. The Pentagon described Soleimani as responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members, as well as the wounding of thousands more.
In response to the blasts, both the European Union and the United Nations chief Antonio Guterres have condemned the attacks and called for the perpetrators to be held responsible. Meanwhile, Russia’s President Putin has condemned “terrorism in all its forms” in a letter to Iran’s leaders.