Iran accused Israel already USA of the double explosion that left at least 95 dead in the south of the country, where a crowd was commemorating the fourth anniversary of the general’s death Qasem Soleimani.
The explosions occurred in full tension in middle East and one day after number two Hamas died in an attack in Beirutwhich the Lebanese authorities attributed to Israel.
LOOK HERE: Iran: at least 95 dead in double explosion near the tomb of General Qasem Soleimani
The explosions, which occurred about 15 minutes apart, took place near the Saheb al Zaman mosquewhere Soleimani’s tomb is located, in the city of Kerman. No one claimed responsibility for the attack at the moment.
“Washington says that USA and Israel had nothing to do with the terrorist attack in Kerman, Iran. Really? (…) Do not get wrong. The responsibility for this crime lies with the American and Zionist regimes, and terrorism is just a tool”he declared Mohammad Jamshidiadvisor to the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.
The United States denied that Israel or itself were involved.”no way”, and a senior official stated that “It looks like a terrorist attack, the kind of thing that IS (the group Islamic State) has done in the past”.
Israel, a declared enemy of Iran, did not comment on the attack. “We are focused on the fight against Hamas“declared the army spokesman, Daniel Hagari.
The official IRNA news agency said 103 people were killed and state television said 211 people were injured and some of them were in critical condition.
Later, the Minister of Health, Bahram Eynollahirevised the figure and declared that “The exact number of deaths in the terrorist attack is 95″.
According to IRNA, the first explosion occurred 700 meters from the tomb of Soleimani, who died at the age of 62 in an attack in 2020 with a US drone outside the airport. Baghdad (Iraq), and the second one kilometer away.
Images spread online showed the crowd trying to flee the scene while security personnel cordoned off the area.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim stated that “two bags with bombs exploded”. “The perpetrators (…) apparently detonated the bombs by remote control”he added.
“Harsh response”
“We were walking towards the cemetery when suddenly a vehicle stopped behind us and a trash can containing a bomb exploded.“, declared a witness to the ISNA agency.
The Islamic Republic declared a day of national mourning on Thursday and President Raisi, who canceled a planned trip on Thursday to Türkiye According to state media, he condemned this attack “hateful”.
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The supreme leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Ali Khameneipromised on Wednesday a “harsh response” to the “evil and criminal enemies of the nation”.
At nightfall, the crowd returned to the scene chanting: “Death to Israel!” and “Death to the United States!”.
“We condemn today’s bitter terrorist attack (…) I hope that the perpetrators of the crime are identified and punished for their actions“, declared Soleimani’s daughter, Zeinab.
In a statement, the Venezuelan government, an important ally of Iran in the region, condemned “in the strongest terms” the attack and asked that “those responsible for such repudiated acts be punished”.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putincondemned an attack “scandalous for its cruelty and cynicism”. Iraq called it an act “terrorist” like the European Unionwho expressed “his solidarity with the Iranian people”.
The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterresalso condemned “firmly” the double explosion.
Hamasan ally of Iran, denounced the “criminal attack”, while the Saudi Foreign Ministry expressed its “solidarity with Iran in this painful event”.
“Terrorist” conspiracies
Iran has long been fighting a shadow war of assassinations and sabotage with its enemy Israel, in addition to fighting various jihadist and armed groups.
In September, the Fars news agency reported that a “operational“key affiliate of the Islamic State group, responsible for carrying out”terrorist operations” in Iran, he was detained in Kerman.
In July, Iranian intelligence services declared that they dismantled a network that they said was “linked to Israel spy organization“and what he planned”terrorist operations” throughout Iran, including “an explosion in the grave” from Soleimani, according to Irna.
General Soleimani, head of the Quds Forces of the Revolutionary Guards -Iran’s ideological army- was in charge of Iranian foreign operations, especially in middle East.
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Soleimani was one of the country’s most popular personalities and was considered a hero for his role in defeating the Islamic State group in both Iraq and Syria. Syria.
The United States and its allies long considered it the sworn enemy.
Following his death in 2020, Ayatollah Khamenei, who often referred to him as “living martyr”, decreed three days of national mourning.
