Bombs kill at least 73 at Iran commemorations for slain general Soleimani
The Hindu
Several people were killed in Iran as two explosions in quick succession struck a crowd marking the anniversary of the 2020 killing of Guards general Qasem Soleimani
At least 73 people were killed in Iran on January 3 as two bombs in quick succession struck a crowd commemorating slain general Qasem Soleimani on the anniversary of his killing, state media reported.
The blasts, which state television called a “terrorist attack”, came with tensions running high in West Asia a day after Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruori — an Iran ally — was killed in a Beirut drone strike which Lebanese officials blamed on Israel.
The blasts stuck near the Saheb al-Zaman Mosque in Kerman, Soleimani’s southern hometown where he is buried, as supporters gathered to mark the fourth anniversary of his death in a US drone strike just outside Baghdad airport.
Kerman’s deputy governor said the explosions were a “terrorist attack”.
At least 170 people were also wounded in the bombings, state media said.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, quoting informed sources, said “two bags carrying bombs went off” at the site.
“The perpetrators ... of this incident apparently detonated the bombs by remote control,” Tasnim added.