Iran has accused Israel and the United States of being responsible for the twin bomb blasts that killed at least 95 people in the country’s south. The explosions occurred during a commemoration event for Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US strike four years ago. The attacks, labelled as a “terrorist attack” by state media and regional authorities, took place amid heightened tensions in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the killing of a Hamas senior leader in Lebanon.
The United States and Israel denied any involvement in the attacks, with the US State Department rejecting the suggestions and Israel declining to comment. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed “evil and criminal enemies” for the attack and vowed a “harsh response.”
The explosions, which occurred near the Martyrs Cemetery at the Saheb al-Zaman Mosque in Kerman, Soleimani’s southern hometown, resulted in the deaths of 95 people and left 211 wounded. The attacks, which were unclaimed, sparked fears of a wider conflict in the region and led to global condemnation.
Online footage showed chaotic scenes of people fleeing the area and bloodied victims being attended to by rescue personnel. Iran’s Red Crescent reported that three paramedics who responded to the scene were among those killed.
In response to the attacks, people gathered to pay tribute to Soleimani and chant anti-US and anti-Israel slogans. The incident drew condemnation from various countries and international bodies, including the United Nations, European Union, and several nations.
The bomb blasts, which occurred on the same day as the killing of Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri in a strike in Beirut, were described as Iran’s deadliest since a 1978 arson attack in Abadan. This incident highlights the long-standing shadow war between Iran and Israel, as well as Iran’s history of battling jihadist and militant groups.