KERMAN, Iran – Nearly 100 people were killed and over 200 others were wounded in two explosions at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Kerman, Iran. The event was held to commemorate the death of top commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020. The attacks took place along the road leading to Kerman’s Martyrs’ Cemetery, and while no one claimed responsibility for the blasts, Iranian officials have labeled it a “terrorist attack.”
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promised a “harsh response” to the attack, while President Ebrahim Raisi expressed determination to identify and punish the perpetrators. The European Union, Hezbollah, Houthis, Iraq, Russia, Turkey, United Nations, and the United States have all issued statements condemning the attacks and offering condolences.
The EU condemned the attacks, demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon-based Hezbollah, stated that those commemorating Soleimani’s death were targeted, and Yemeni group Houthis called the bombings “criminal.” Iraq offered support to Iran, while Russia’s President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack as “terrorism in all its forms.” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey also expressed condolences and condemned the attack.
UN chief Antonio Guterres offered his condolences and called for accountability, while US officials rejected any suggestion that the US or Israel was behind the blasts. Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike, but the Department of State spokesperson and the White House national security spokesman both denied involvement in the explosions.
The deadly attacks in Kerman, Iran, have prompted global condemnation and expressions of solidarity with the Iranian people. The Iranian government has vowed to identify and punish the perpetrators and has received support from various countries and international organizations. The investigation into the attacks is ongoing, and the international community is closely following the situation as it develops.