Iran Confirms Over 70 Killed By Terror Attacks On Memorial Event For IRGC’s Soleimani

Update(0845ET): Iranian state media has confirmed that more that 70 were killed in two “terrorist attacks” at the cemetery where memorial anniversary events for the slain IRGC General Qassem Soleimani were being held in the southern city of Kerman.

“Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran’s emergency services, told state media that 73 people had been killed and 170 injured,” according to Sky News. Wednesday marked the four-year anniversary of Soleimani’s assassination.

Iran is meanwhile vowing to “punish the perpetrators of the Kerman explosions” according to state media.

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Two explosions close in time to one another ripped through a cemetery in the southern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday, killing scores of people and injuring over 15 others. The initial death toll of 20 was been quickly revised upward, with Reuters and Sky News subsequently reporting, “At least 50 people have been killed at a cemetery in Iran where a ceremony was being held to mark the 2020 assassination of Iran’s top commander Qassem Soleimani, an official has told Reuters news agency.”

Large crowds had been gathered near the grave of IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani a day of memorial events marking his death anniversary. The semi-official Nournews initially described that “several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery and relevant authorities are monitoring the situation”.

Videos from the scene show chaos after the two explosions sent people running, which appear to number in the tens of thousands.

A correspondent with Iranian state-run Tasnim has said that the mounting casualty count is “high”. He’s been cited as saying, “There is a strong chance that more 50 people have lost their lives and 50-60 have been injured.”

Scenes from blast aftermath at the crowded cemetery…

🎥 لحظه شنیده‌شدن صدای انفجار دیگری در مسیر گلزار شهدای #کرمان pic.twitter.com/FY1w5YDALu

— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) January 3, 2024

According to more details via Al Jazeera:

Iranian state media says two explosions have struck a procession marking the anniversary of General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination. The blasts reportedly happened near the slain commander’s gravesite in the city of Kerman.

And very quickly in the aftermath, as casualties are still being rushed to the hospital, an Iranian official has been quoted in state media as saying the blasts in Kerman city were “terrorist attacks”.

This couldn’t come at a worse time and appears possibly connected with events in Gaza as the region already stands on the brink of a major regional war.

BREAKING: Over 20 killed in two bombing attacks at the entrance of the cemetery in which the late IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani is buried, in the city of Kerman. pic.twitter.com/6GCP58R8oO

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) January 3, 2024

Yesterday Israel assassinated the deputy head of Hamas in a drone strike on southern Beirut, and Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is still set to give a major speech later today.

Soleimani was killed on January 3, 2020 when his convoy left Baghdad International Airport. The strike was ordered by then President Trump and likely had the assistance of Israeli intelligence. It was considered essentially an act of war by Tehran, which then lobbed dozens of ballistic missiles onto US bases in Iraq, resulting in Americans injured.

developing…