Kerman, Iran – A deadly explosion occurred at a cemetery in the city of Kerman, Iran, where a ceremony was taking place to commemorate the 2020 assassination of Iran’s top commander Qassem Soleimani, according to Iranian state media. At least 50 people were reported to have been killed, and another 40 were wounded in the incident, which was described as a “terrorist attack” by an Iranian official.
The funeral ceremony had drawn hundreds of people to the site, where two explosions were reported. Soleimani, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, was buried in Kerman after being assassinated in a US drone strike in 2020. The assassination had led to heightened tensions between the US and Iran, with retaliatory rocket strikes against US military sites in Iraq and the two countries coming to the brink of war.
The deadly explosion at the cemetery comes on the heels of the recent death of Hamas’s deputy leader, Saleh al Arouri, in an explosion in Beirut. The incidents have raised concerns about potential acts of violence and retaliation in the region.
Soleimani’s assassination and the events that followed had triggered massive public demonstrations, with more than a million people taking to the streets for his funeral. Tragically, a stampede during the funeral procession resulted in the deaths of 56 mourners.
The situation is still developing, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming hours. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and to await further updates on the situation in Kerman, Iran.