At least 95 people were killed and more than 200 injured in twin bomb blasts in the Iranian city of Kerman near the burial site of military commander Qasem Soleimani on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
A large crowd had gathered to commemorate Soleimani, who was killed four years ago in a drone strike by the United States, when the two bombs exploded in 20 minutes on Wednesday afternoon, reported Reuters.
An unidentified official told state news agency IRNA that “two explosive devices planted along the road leading to Kerman’s Martyrs Cemetery were detonated remotely by terrorists”.
“I heard a very loud sound and then felt pain in my back... then I could not feel my legs,” a wounded woman at a Kerman hospital told state television.
No one has claimed responsibility yet for the blasts that the media described as the deadliest attack to target Iran since the 1979 Iranian revolution. The toll is almost certain to rise as many of the wounded were in critical condition, the AP report said.
The attack comes a day after Saleh al-Arouri, a deputy leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was killed in the Lebanese capital of Beirut in a strike allegedly launched by Israel. West Asia is embroiled in tensions due to Israel’s war in Gaza, which has left over 20,000 Palestinians dead.
While the authorities did not publicly assign blame, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General Esmail Qaani alleged the attacks were carried out by “the agents of the Zionist regime and the United States”. The Zionist regime is a reference to Israel, which has in the past conducted targeted attacks on Iran.
A US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, however, said American officials had “no reason” to believe Tel Aviv was involved in Wednesday’s attack in Iran.
Tehran has been blamed for providing material and political support to Palestinian militant groups.
Several countries, including Russia and Turkey, criticised the attacks, and the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for those responsible to be held accountable, reported Reuters.
India said it was “shocked and saddened” by the bombings.
“At this difficult time, we express our solidarity with the government and people of Iran,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal tweeted. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and with the wounded.”
Without naming any possible suspect, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly said the attackers will face “a harsh response”.
“Undoubtedly, the perpetrators and leaders of this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished,” added Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
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