Twin blasts in Iran claim 103 lives, injure 188; what is known so far

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi warned the attackers that they would pay a 'heavy price'. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack yet

The Iranian city of Kerman witnessed a devastating attack near Qasem Soleimani's burial site on Wednesday, resulting in a death toll of 103 and 188 injuries, according to a report by CNN. No group has claimed responsibility yet, while Iranian President Raisi blames Israel, warning of severe consequences. Here is what is known about the situation so far.

The attack

Two bombs exploded minutes apart on Wednesday in what appears to be the deadliest militant attack to target Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. The gathering marked the fourth anniversary of the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, in a US drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. The explosions occurred near his gravesite as long lines of people gathered for the event.

 

The first explosion was 700 metres away from Soleimani's grave, and the second was a kilometre (0.6 miles) away as pilgrims visited the site, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

Who is responsible for the bomb blasts in Iran?

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. However, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi accused Israel of being behind them. President Raisi warned that they would pay a "heavy price."

"I warn the Zionist regime; do not doubt that you will pay a heavy price for this crime and the crimes you have committed," Raisi said in a televised speech from Tehran, according to CNN.

The Iranian President, following the blasts, has issued a dire warning, stating that Israel will face "regrettable and severe" consequences.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated this sentiment in a post on X (formerly Twitter), that Iran will have a "harsh response" to the attack.

He wrote, "They should know that the bright soldiers of the path of Soleimani will not tolerate their wickedness and crimes."

This comes at a time when West Asia remains on edge over Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. On October 8, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian security officials helped Hamas plot the attack on Israel over several weeks. Officials from the United States, Iran, Hamas leadership and officials in Israel, all denied these reports. However, Iran has been vocal about its support of Hamas and even praised its attack on Israel.

Since the Iran revolution in 1979, the country has conflicted with Israel. The two countries have never been at war with each other, but Iran has shown its support for regions surrounding Israel, including Hezbollah, the Shia militant group in southern Lebanon, and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.