Tragic Explosions Claim Nearly 100 Lives at Memorial for Slain Commander Soleimani: Iran Pledges Retribution

On Wednesday, a ceremony in Iran to honor the late Commander Qassem Soleimani, who fell victim to a U.S. drone in 2020, turned tragic as two explosions claimed the lives of almost 100 people and left numerous others wounded.

Iranian authorities, attributing the incident to unidentified “terrorists,” expressed deep concern over the devastating turn of events.

During a densely attended fourth-anniversary commemoration at the cemetery in the southeastern city of Kerman, where Commander Soleimani is interred, Iranian state television documented an initial explosion followed by a second one 20 minutes later.

The responsibility for the explosions remains unclaimed. A senior official from the Biden administration in Washington suggested that the blasts seemed indicative of a terrorist attack similar to those previously orchestrated by Islamic State militants.

Iran Pledges Retribution:

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi denounced the “atrocious and inhumane crime,” while the country’s foremost authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, pledged retaliation for the brutal twin bombings.

Khamenei emphasized through a statement in state media that the perpetrators, identified as “cruel criminals,” would face decisive actions, ensuring a severe response moving forward.

The condemnation extended beyond Iran, with various nations, including Russia and Turkey, expressing their disapproval of the attacks. The United Nations Secretary-General also urged accountability, calling for those responsible to be held to answer for their actions.

Health Minister, Bahram Eynollahi, conveyed to state TV that the death toll has been adjusted to 95 from the initial 103, with 211 others reported injured.

This incident stands as the deadliest attack in the history of the Islamic Republic, which has experienced comparable events in the past involving various groups, including Islamic State.

While Iran has previously accused Israel of being responsible for attacks on individuals or locations within its borders, with Israel neither confirming nor denying these claims, there is no indication of any foreign state involvement in the recent explosions at the cemetery.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the U.S. has observed no signs suggesting Israel’s involvement in the blasts.

An unnamed official, as reported by the state news agency IRNA, disclosed that “two explosive devices planted along the road leading to Kerman’s Martyrs’ Cemetery were detonated remotely by terrorists.”

Videos depict numerous bodies covered in blood:

Videos broadcasted by Iranian state media revealed numerous bloodied bodies scattered about, as some onlookers attempted to aid survivors, while others hurriedly evacuated the blast area.

A woman receiving treatment at a Kerman hospital recounted, “I heard a very loud sound and then felt pain in my back … then I could not feel my legs,” underscoring the immediate impact on individuals.

Iran’s Red Crescent responders diligently attended to the wounded at the ceremony, where hundreds had assembled to commemorate the anniversary of Soleimani’s death. Some Iranian news outlets suggested a significantly higher number of injuries.

Despite security measures, a head of the Kerman Red Crescent Society, Reza Fallah, acknowledged the investigation into the incident, stating, “A terrible sound was heard there, despite all the security and safety measures.”

Subsequently, the state news agency reported the evacuation and closure of the cemetery until further notice, with the government declaring Thursday as a day of mourning.

While official blame remained undisclosed, Esmail Qaani, the top commander of Iran’s Quds force, asserted that the attacks were orchestrated by “the agents of the Zionist regime (Israel) and the United States.”

Tehran frequently points fingers at its longstanding adversaries, Israel and the United States, accusing them of supporting anti-Iranian militant groups.

During the night, state TV showcased crowds gathered at the cemetery passionately chanting slogans like “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.”

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, in a routine news briefing, emphasized that the United States played no role in the explosions and has no grounds to suspect Israel’s involvement.

In response to the attacks, Iran’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing its commitment to utilizing all available international avenues to identify and prosecute those responsible and their backers. Concurrently, President Raisi canceled a scheduled visit to Turkey on Thursday.

Earlier Attack:

In 2022, the Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim militant group, claimed responsibility for a lethal attack on an Iranian Shi’ite shrine, resulting in the death of 15 individuals.

The group had previously carried out significant attacks, including deadly twin bombings in 2017 targeting Iran’s parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Other attacks in Iran were attributed to Baluchi militants and ethnic Arab separatists.

The U.S. drone strike that assassinated Soleimani in January 2020 at Baghdad airport, followed by Tehran’s retaliation against two Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops, escalated tensions between the United States and Iran, bringing them close to full-blown conflict.

Soleimani, as the chief commander of the elite Quds force, played a central role in clandestine operations abroad and Iran’s ongoing campaign to expel U.S. forces from the Middle East.

Current tensions between Iran and Israel, along with their ally, the United States, have intensified due to Israel’s conflict with Iran-backed Hamas militants in Gaza, triggered by an October 7th incident in southern Israel.

Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen have targeted ships in the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, claiming connections to Israel.

U.S. forces have faced attacks from Iran-backed militants in Iraq and Syria due to Washington’s support for Israel, leading to retaliatory airstrikes.

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