At least 84 people have been killed when two bombs went off near the tomb of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Qasem Soleimani in the Iranian City of Kerman on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US, Iran's state media report. Scores of others were reportedly injured when the blasts hit a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the city of Kerman. The number of dead had initially been reported as 103, but Iran's health minister said some names were accidentally registered twice.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a written statement said “Undoubtedly, the perpetrators of this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished for their heinous act by the capable security and law enforcement forces.”
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed the "terrorist attack" would be met with a "harsh response".
No groups has come out to claim responsibility for what is believed to have been the deadliest such attack in Iran in 42 years.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has issued condolences for those killed in the attack and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack today on a memorial ceremony in Kerman city in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which reportedly killed more than 100 people and injured many more,” a statement from his spokesperson reads.
“The Secretary-General calls for those responsible to be held accountable. The Secretary-General expresses his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the people and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He wishes the injured a speedy recovery.”
Soleimani was perceived as the most powerful figure in Iran after the supreme leader before he was killed in a US drone strike in neighbouring Iraq in 2020.
Wednesday's attack comes amid heightened tensions in the region after the deputy leader of the Iran-backed Palestinian group, Hamas, was killed in an apparent Israeli drone strike in Lebanon.
