Deadly Twin Blasts on Soleimani’s Death Anniversary Rock Iran, Over 100 Killed

Kerman, a city steeped in sorrow and tragedy, became the site of a profound calamity on Wednesday when twin bombings claimed the lives of at least 103 individuals, as people gathered to honor the memory of the late Iranian military commander, General Qasem Soleimani. The commemoration, marking the fourth anniversary of his death, abruptly turned into a scene of chaos and destruction as state media referred to the event as a "terrorist attack."

The bombings occurred in close succession near the Saheb al-Zaman Mosque, close to where the general is interred. The governor's deputy, Rahman Jalali, without hesitation, labeled the explosions a deliberate strike against civilians, though responsibility for the catastrophe remained unclaimed.

State-run IRNA news agency revised the tragic death toll to 103 from an initial count of 73, reporting the succumbing of the critically injured to their wounds. Furthermore, at least 141 people suffered injuries, with some in dire conditions which sparked fears that the death toll could still rise.

According to the Tasnim news agency, the attacks were perpetrated using bags carrying bombs triggered remotely, a detail that hinted at the premeditated nature of the violence. ISNA also shared heart-wrenching narratives from survivors who witnessed the bombings and the immediate pandemonium that ensued.

The targeted area was effectively sealed off by security services as online footage captured the frantic efforts of locals to escape the vicinity of the blasts. Qasem Soleimani, the central figure of these commemorations, was the esteemed leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force and played a significant role in the campaigns against the Islamic State group across the Middle East.

His strategic and military contributions were revered, and he was posthumously hailed as a martyr by Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Despite being regarded as a formidable opponent by the US and its allies, Soleimani held the admiration of many in his home country and beyond for his defense against regional disintegration and for orchestrating Iran's influence across the conflicted landscapes of Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

The shock of this recent attack reverberates through a region already on edge following the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Aruri in Beirut, an event that has further escalated tensions in the Middle East. Iran, which had mourned the loss of Soleimani in historical, massive funeral processions in 2020, now mourns anew as it grapples with the grim reality of this current bloodshed.

This ghastly episode is reflective of the persistent volatility in the region, with the incident occurring just a day after the United States and Iran proposed dates for indirect nuclear talks in Vienna. Iran, already embroiled in a fragile state with lingering animosity towards US actions in the region, faces a profound period of national mourning and a search for answers surrounding this atrocity.