At least 73 people lost their lives and 171 others were wounded in two bomb explosions near the tomb of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, as reported by Iran’s state media. The tragic incident occurred on the fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s assassination by the US.
The explosions targeted a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the southern city of Kerman, where hundreds were participating in a ceremony to commemorate the late general. The deputy governor of Kerman labeled the incident a “terrorist attack.”
A video circulated online depicted several bodies on a road, illustrating the severity of the situation. Soleimani, considered one of Iran’s most powerful figures, was the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force and a key architect of Iranian policy in the region.
His assassination in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020 escalated tensions between the two nations. Soleimani’s role included overseeing clandestine missions, providing guidance, funding, weapons, intelligence, and logistical support to allied governments and armed groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Then-US President Donald Trump, who authorized the 2020 assassination, referred to Soleimani as “the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world.” The recent bombings add another layer of tragedy to the ongoing tensions in the region.
