On Wednesday, twin explosions at a ceremony in Iran’s southern city of Kerman killed over 100 people and injured more than 200. The blast occurred as hundreds gathered to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone in 2020.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said in a statement, “This disaster will have a harsh response, God willing.”
Two terrorist blasts in Iran’s Kerman leave at least 103 dead, 141 injuredhttps://t.co/82Cuyi0bUS pic.twitter.com/dwC9YXukwm
— Press TV (@PressTV) January 3, 2024
Iran Blasts
The incident took place during the fourth-anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southern city of Kerman, Iranian official media reported.
The first bomb went off around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and the second went off about 20 minutes later, Iran’s interior minister, Ahmad Vahidi, said. He added that the second blast killed and injured the most people.
Images and video shared on social media show that the initial blast occurred roughly 700 metres from Soleimani’s grave in the Kerman Martyrs Cemetery, near a parking lot. The crowd then rushed west along Shohada Street, where the second blast occurred around 1 kilometre from the grave.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, “Undoubtedly, the perpetrators and leaders of this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Bahram Eynollahi reported that the death toll was 95, down from 103, and that 211 others were injured, making it the deadliest attack in the Islamic Republic's history.
In a statement, Iran’s foreign ministry said it would use all international ways to identify and prosecute those engaged in the attacks and their supporters.
Iran Will Have Strong Response: Khamenei
In a statement, Khamenei stated, “the evil, criminal enemies of the Iranian nation have once again created a tragedy and martyred a large number of our dear people in Kerman in the fragrant atmosphere of the Martyrs’ tombs.”
“The Iranian nation is in grief [...] the stony-hearted criminals could not tolerate seeing the love and affection of the people for visiting the tomb of their great commander, Martyr Qasem Soleimani,” the Supreme Leader asserted.
“The hands stained with the blood of innocent people & the corrupt, evil minds that misdirected them will definitely be the target of a severe pounding & a deserving retribution,” Khamenei remarked.
The enemy should know the soldiers on Soleimani’s bright path won’t tolerate their vileness & crime. The hands stained with the blood of innocent people & the corrupt, evil minds that misdirected them will definitely be the target of a severe pounding & a deserving retribution.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 3, 2024
International Reactions
The EU condemned the attack and urged that the perpetrators of the twin explosives be brought to justice.
“The EU condemns in the strongest terms today’s bombing in the city of Kerman in Iran. The EU expresses its solidarity with the Iranian people. This act of terror has exacted a shocking toll of civilian deaths and injuries,” an EU foreign affairs spokesperson said in a statement.
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, said people honouring Soleimani’s death were “targeted.” He added that those who died were “martyrs who died on the same road, cause, and battle that was led by” Soleimani.
BREAKING: Putin says Iran blasts ‘shocking in cruelty and cynicism’https://t.co/XnsjELtCmS
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) January 3, 2024
The Yemeni Houthis released a statement, saying, “This heinous crime represents an extension of all the crimes that attempted to undermine the Islamic Republic, its role in confronting global arrogance, its adoption of the nation’s central cause, and its support for the resistance forces in Palestine and Lebanon.”
Further, the Lebanese Foreign Affairs Ministry warned of the “seriousness of this criminal act and the possibility of it destabilising regional security,” while the Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the blast in general.
Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, said he was “deeply saddened to learn about the huge loss of lives in terrorist attacks in Kerman.”
In a statement released by the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “The killing of civilians visiting a cemetery is shocking in its cruelty and cynicism.” We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirm our commitment to waging an uncompromising fight against this evil,” he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed condolences and condemned the attack. “We are deeply saddened by the heinous terrorist attacks carried out in Iran’s Kerman province. May God have mercy on those who lost their lives in the attacks, and I wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured,” he wrote on X.
U.S. Department of State:
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) January 3, 2024
United States was not involved in any way in Iran blasts and has no reason to believe Israel was involved either. pic.twitter.com/gDfJpfRQER
US Denies Involvement in Iran Blasts
When asked about the twin explosives near a cemetery in the Iranian city of Kerman, US State Department Spokesperson Matt Miller said during a regular briefing that the US Administration was not involved in them and had no reason to believe Israel was behind them.
“It’s too early, and we don’t have any independent information that I can offer,” Miller said. “But I do want to address some of the irresponsible claims that I have seen circulating and say that Number one: the US was not involved in any way, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous. And Number two: we have no reason to believe that Israel was involved in this explosion,” he concluded.