Two explosions rocked a memorial event for Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, killing more than 100 people and injuring at least 140, state media in Iran reported Wednesday.
The first blast struck around 2,300 feet from Soleimani’s grave in the Kerman Martyrs Cemetery in southern Iran, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported. It added that the second explosion was around 2,000 feet away.
Soleimani, who came from Kerman, the regional capital of a province of the same name, was buried in the cemetery after he was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Iraq’s capital Baghdad in January 2020.
At the time he was the leader of Iran’s secretive Quds Force, part of the country’s Revolutionary Guard, tasked with protecting and advancing Iran’s interests in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria as well as the Palestinian territories.
Some Iranian officials were quick to denounce the explosions as “terrorist attacks” but uncertainty surrounded the incident in a country where information is closely controlled by the ruling theocratic regime.
Rahman Jalali, Kerman’s deputy governor for security, told the state-run IRNA news agency that the explosions had been “carried out by terrorists.” The semi-official Tasnim news agency said the blasts were caused by two explosive-laden suitcases.
Iranians have gathered at the cemetery to commemorate Soleimani each year since his death which was directed by former President Donald Trump and sparked angry protests in Iran and Iraq with many calling for revenge on the U.S.
Whether or not the blasts were related to the Israel-Hamas war, the incident could heighten tensions in the region as Israel and others face-off with Iran-backed groups.
This is a developing story, please check back here for updates soon.