Two explosions attributed to “terrorist attacks” struck a ceremony in Iran commemorating the late commander Qassem Soleimani, resulting in a death toll exceeding 100 people and numerous injuries. The incident unfolded at the cemetery in the southeastern city of Kerman, where Soleimani is interred.
Iranian state television reported the blasts during the memorial event, with an unnamed official indicating that “Two explosive devices planted along the road leading to Kerman’s Martyrs’ Cemetery were detonated remotely by terrorists.”
Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran’s emergency services, reported 73 fatalities and 170 injuries initially, but subsequent updates from state television raised the death toll to at least 100.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks at this time.
Videos aired by Iranian media depicted a chaotic scene, with bodies strewn across the area, bystanders attending to survivors, and others rushing to leave the blast site.
Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman Red Crescent Society, expressed bewilderment, stating, “A terrible sound was heard there, despite all the security and safety measures. We are still investigating.”
The memorial ceremony had drawn hundreds of Iranians to mark the anniversary of Soleimani’s death. As tensions escalate in the region, with recent events involving Israel and the United States, concerns arise about the potential for further instability in the Middle East.
