A satellite image shows a large crowd of mourners gathering along the road leading to the Kerman Martyr鈥檚 Cemetery to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the death of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, in Kerman, Iran January 3, 2024. Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS
DUBAI 鈥� Islamic State claimed responsibility on Thursday for two explosions in Iran that killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed in Iraq in 2020 by a U.S. drone.
In a statement posted on its affiliate Telegram channels, the militant Sunni Muslim group said two IS members had detonated their explosive belts in the crowd which had gathered at the cemetery in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday for the anniversary of Soleimani鈥檚 death.
搁贰础顿:听Iran vows revenge after deadliest attacks since 1979 revolution
Tehran earlier blamed the explosions on 鈥渢errorists鈥� and vowed revenge for the bloodiest such attacks since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The twin blasts also wounded 284 people, including women and children.
鈥淎 very strong retaliation will be meted out to them by the hands of the soldiers of Soleimani,鈥� Iran鈥檚 First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber told reporters in Kerman.
Earlier, an unnamed source told the state news agency IRNA that the first explosion at the cemetery in Kerman, Soleimani鈥檚 home town, 鈥渨as the result of a suicide bomber鈥檚 action鈥�.
鈥淭he cause of the second blast was most likely the same,鈥� the source told IRNA.
The United Nations Security Council in a statement condemned Wednesday鈥檚 鈥渃owardly terrorist attack鈥� in Kerman and sent its condolences to the victims鈥� families and the Iranian government.
搁贰础顿:听Iran says at least 95 killed in blasts at ceremony honoring slain general
State TV showed crowds gathered at dozen cities across Iran, including Kerman, chanting: 鈥淒eath to Israel鈥� and 鈥淒eath to America鈥�.
Iranian authorities have called for mass protests on Friday, when the funerals of the victims of the twin blasts will be held, state media reported.
Iran鈥檚 powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps described the attacks as a cowardly act 鈥渁imed at creating insecurity and seeking revenge against the nation鈥檚 deep love and devotion to the Islamic Republic鈥�.
The Guards commander in Kerman denied state media reports of a shooting in Kerman on Thursday.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has condemned Wednesday鈥檚 鈥渉einous and inhumane crime鈥�. Iran鈥檚 top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, vowed revenge for the bombings.
Islamic State
In 2022 Islamic State claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a Shi鈥檌te shrine in Iran which killed 15 people.
Earlier attacks claimed by Islamic State include twin bombings in 2017 which targeted Iran鈥檚 parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic鈥檚 founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The United States denied on Wednesday any involvement in the explosions and said it also had no reason to believe Israel was involved. It said the blasts appeared to represent 鈥渁 terrorist attack鈥� of the type carried out in the past by Islamic State.
Tehran often accuses its arch enemies, Israel and the United States, of backing anti-Iran militant groups that have carried out attacks against the Islamic Republic in the past. Baluchi militants and ethnic Arab separatists have also staged attacks in Iran.
The U.S. assassination of Soleimani in a Jan. 3, 2020, drone attack at Baghdad airport, and Tehran鈥檚 retaliation 鈥� by attacking two Iraqi military bases that house U.S. troops 鈥� brought the United States and Iran close to full-blown conflict.
As chief commander of the elite Quds force, the overseas arm of Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Soleimani ran clandestine operations abroad and was a key figure in Iran鈥檚 longstanding campaign to drive U.S. forces from the Middle East.
Tensions between Iran and Israel, along with its ally the United States, have reached a new high over Israel鈥檚 war on Iran-backed Hamas militants in Gaza in retaliation for their Oct. 7 rampage through southern Israel.
Yemen鈥檚 Iran-backed Houthi militia have attacked ships they say have links to Israel in the entrance to the Red Sea, one of the world鈥檚 busiest shipping lanes.
U.S. forces have come under attack from Iran-backed militants in Iraq and Syria over Washington鈥檚 backing of Israel and have carried out their own retaliatory air strikes.