According to Iranian officials, two explosions at a memorial for Iran’s former top general, Qassim Suleimani, on Wednesday left at least 103 people dead and 200 injured. The blasts caused panic in a nation where many people are already anxious due to internal unrest and the possibility of a regional conflict that could escalate.
Iranian officials have blamed the Wednesday incident in Iran a “terrorist attack,” as no one has taken responsibility for the explosions, and it was unclear what caused the blasts. This has led to finger-pointing, misunderstanding, and speculation.
Two bombs, hidden in bags along the road leading to a cemetery in the city of Kerman, detonated during a large crowd of people celebrating the fourth anniversary of General Suleimani’s death, according to Iranian officials speaking to state television.
Wednesday’s blasts, which occurred minutes apart, rocked Kerman, which is located 820 kilometres southeast of Tehran, the capital. According to Ahmad Vahidi, the Iranian interior minister, the first bomb exploded on Wednesday at around 3 p.m., and the second one went off around 20 minutes later, as reported by state media. He added that most individuals were killed and injured in the second explosion.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, warned the attackers they would receive “a harsh response,” but he did not identify any potential suspects. “No doubt, the leaders and perpetrators of this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi continued.
Iran has also had large-scale protests in recent times, particularly in response to Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022 at the age of 22. Exile organisations have also attacked the nation, tracing their attacks back to the unrest that surrounded the Islamic Revolution in 1979.