TEHRAN – Iranian officials revealed that over 100 individuals lost their lives while nearly 150 others were injured in a ceremony disrupted by two explosions described as ‘terrorist attacks.’
The event aimed to commemorate the slain commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike back in 2020.
State media reported the initial and subsequent explosions occurring at a cemetery in Kerman, the southeastern city where Soleimani was buried. A local official in Kerman province confirmed the nature of the blasts as terrorist attacks.
Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran’s emergency services, later specified that more than 100 people had died, with 141 sustaining injuries.
Earlier reports from the semi-official Nournews suggested that the explosions might have been caused by gas canisters detonating along the road leading to the cemetery. State TV visuals displayed Red Crescent responders tending to the wounded among the hundreds gathered for the anniversary. Some news agencies indicated even higher casualty numbers.
Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman province Red Crescent, highlighted the challenges faced by response teams in evacuating the injured due to the overwhelming crowds blocking routes, as conveyed in a statement to state TV.
Qasem Soleimani: US airstrikes kill top Iranian general at Baghdad airport
