At least 103 people have died and 180 others have been injured after two explosions this Wednesday in the Iranian city of Kermanwhere the fourth anniversary of the death of General Qasem Soleimani, former leader of the military intelligence services of Iran abroad, the Quds Force.
Soleimani was killed in Baghdad on January 3, 2020 in a US airstrike ordered by the previous US president, donald trump. This Wednesday, a crowd of thousands of people marched on a pilgrimage to his grave, in Kerman, to remember the general and claim revenge against USA. It was then that the two explosions took place, about 700 meters from the cemetery where Soleimani’s remains are buried. The first explosion occurred at three in the afternoon local time; the second, 13 minutes later, according to the Iranian emergency services.
According to regime authorities, the explosions were due to a “terrorist attack“ committed using two suitcases loaded with explosives, previously planted at the site and detonated remotely, according to the news agency Tasnimclose to the Iranian Revolutionary Guardthe political-military body that controls the highest spheres of power in Tehran. If confirmed, this attack would be the largest in the history of Islamic Republic of Iranfounded in 1979 after the defeat of the Persian monarchy during the Iranian Islamic revolution.
Unclaimed
At the moment, however, no one has claimed responsibility for the alleged attack, which comes just a few hours after the murder in Beirut of Saleh Al Arouri, the hitherto number two of Hamas. Hamas is one of the militias of Middle East who, under Iranian tutelage and money, make up what Tehran calls the ‘Axis of Resistance.
In previous years, however, the Islamic State (IS)has already carried out several actions and attacks against the Iranian civilian population. Israelauthor of the murder of Al Arouri, has also carried out murderous actions in Iran in the past, but never against the civilian population, but against senior officials of the Iranian Government, especially scientists in charge of the Persian country’s nuclear program and its uranium enrichment.
Images spread on social media show the crowd trying to flee while security personnel cordoned off the area. State television, for its part, has broadcast images of ambulances and lifeguards in the place of the events.
“The number of injured is mainly due to the huge crowd in the area and all the people who ran away after hearing the explosions,” a member of Iran’s emergency department told Tasnim.
Mourning and investigations
Hours after the event, according to the Iranian authorities, the area has been cleared, and all the wounded have been taken to Hospital centers. Tehran has announced that this Thursday will be national day of mourningand that schools and educational centers will remain closed.
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“The perpetrators of the Kerman crime will be punished,” said this Wednesday the head of the Iranian Justice, Gholam Hussein Mohseni Axis: “The relevant judicial authorities, both in Kerman and in other regions where there may be clues to the terrorists involved, are obliged to work until their last breath to arrest these people,” continued Mohseni Eje, one of the most authoritative figures. within the Islamic Republic.
“This terrorist attack will be followed by a firm and destructive response, in the shortest possible time. We have already opened a official investigation to clarify who is behind this attack, and we will give more information to the public once we have the results of our investigations,” said the Iranian Interior Minister, Ahmad Vahidwho has assured that the highest death toll It occurred due to the second detonation, which exploded among a large crowd of people.