(CTN News) – The death toll resulting from two consecutive bombings at the tomb of Iranian Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone attack in 2020, has now reached 103.
Iranian state media has confirmed that nearly 200 individuals were also injured in the twin terror attacks.
During the ceremony held in the southeastern city of Kerman, Iranian state television reported an initial explosion followed by a second one, causing multiple casualties.
The semi-official Nournews reported that several petrol canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
According to the SNN news agency, ambulances were seen approaching the cemetery where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to commemorate the anniversary of Soleimani’s death.
Soleimani was widely considered the most influential figure in Iran, second only to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
As the leader of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guards’ branch responsible for overseas operations, he played a crucial role in shaping policy in the region.
Soleimani oversaw the Quds Force’s covert activities, which included advising allied governments and armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as providing them with financial aid, weapons, intelligence, and logistical support.
Former US President Donald Trump authorized the killing, referring to Soleimani as “the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world” in 2020.
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