Over 100 Lives Lost in Bomb Blasts at Soleimani Memorial in Iran
Kerman, Iran – A dark day dawned over Iran as the southern city of Kerman became the stage for a tragedy that sent shockwaves through the nation. On Wednesday, 3rd January, as crowds gathered to commemorate the fourth anniversary of General Qasem Soleimani’s assassination, twin bomb blasts ripped through the crowds, leaving behind a grim tableau of shattered lives and smoldering questions.
The first bomb was detonated around 15:00 local time (11:30 GMT), about 700m (2,300ft) from the Garden of Martyrs cemetery around the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the eastern outskirts of Kerman. The second bombing took place about 15 minutes later, around 1km away from the graveyard, targeting people who had fled the first.
The Iranian Red Crescent reported that the dead included at least one paramedic who was sent to the scene of the first explosion and was hit by the second. An investigation has been launched to determine who was behind the attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed a “harsh response” to the bomb attack. He stated,
“Cruel criminals must know that they will be strongly dealt with from now on, and undoubtedly, there will be a harsh response.”
This statement was made on Wednesday evening following the attack.
President Ebrahim Raisi called the bombings a
“cowardly act” carried out by “Iran-hating criminals and the henchmen of terror and darkness.”
The former British ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, told the BBC that it was not clear who was behind the bombings.
“There are opposition groups who have the ability, albeit quite constrained, to carry out violent attacks,” he said. “I don’t think they are regime-threatening attacks, but it will certainly raise the temperature.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack and expressed his “deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the government” of Iran, his spokesman said. The E.U. said it condemned the bombing “in the strongest terms.”
Mohammad Jamshidi, the deputy chief of staff for political affairs for Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, made a statement about the attack. During a 45-minute call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamshidi said the two leaders.
“agreed on the need to end war crimes against Palestine.” He also expressed that “Islamic unity was stressed & both believed the regime’s crimes & the U.S. green light will cause destruction.”
This tragic event comes in the wake of several recent attacks for which various groups have claimed responsibility, including ISIS-K‘s attack at the Kabul airport, a Russian hacking group’s cyberattack on Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest mobile operator, and a newly formed militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan’s suicide bombing attack on a police station in Pakistan.
The potential suspects for this attack vary, and past incidents, such as the Vienna attack and a Hamas anti-Jewish plot, highlight the complexity of identifying perpetrators based on the specific details of each incident.
Qasem Soleimani’s death in a U.S. drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport in 2020 left a void in Iran’s leadership. Despite his absence, Soleimani’s influence continues to shape the region, particularly in conflicts across the Middle East.
As the world watches, the question remains: who is responsible for this horrific act of violence, and what will be the repercussions? As we await answers, our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
