At least 103 people were killed and 170 injured in a double explosion this Wednesday, January 3, near the tomb of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was the architect of Iranian military operations in the Middle East and whose death Iran is celebrating. fourth anniversary of the death, state television reported.
According to the deputy governor of Kerman province, in southern Iran, quoted by state television, “the incident is a terrorist attack.” There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
According to the first information given by state television, at least 103 people died “during this incident” which took place near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque, where Soleimani’s grave is located. The Iranian Tasnim news agency reported at least 170 injured.
Two explosions were heard a few minutes apart. According to the local Tasnim agency, which cites well-informed sources, the explosions were caused by “bombs hidden in two bags”. “The perpetrators apparently activated the bombs via a remote control,” according to the same source.
According to television images, rescuers were working on the spot, where many people had gathered for the anniversary of the general’s death.
Soleimani, figure of the Iranian regime
Qassem Soleimani was killed in January 2020, at the age of 62, during an American drone attack in Iraq. A key man in the Iranian regime, he was also one of the country’s most popular public figures.
After serving in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, Soleimani quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, responsible for the Islamic Republic’s external operations. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of national mourning at the time of his death.