Iran on Friday mourned those slain in an Islamic State group-claimed suicide bombing targeting a commemoration for a general slain in a US drone strike in 2020, as the death toll in the attack touched 100, Reuters reported. Despite the militants claiming responsibility for the attack, the wider tensions shaking the Middle East during Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip became intertwined with the funeral in the usually peaceful city of Kerman, about 820 kilometers (510 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the devastating twin explosions that rocked the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman, leaving scores wounded during a memorial service for the late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. The militant Sunni Muslim group asserted via its affiliate Telegram channels that two of its members had triggered explosive belts amidst the crowd gathered at the cemetery.
The White House, through spokesman John Kirby, acknowledged Islamic State’s claim of responsibility, refraining from casting doubts over their assertion concerning Wednesday’s attack.
Worst attack since 1979
The aftermath of the attack has intensified tensions, with Tehran vehemently promising retribution for what it called the bloodiest assault since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber vowed a robust retaliation against those responsible for the brutal attack.
Iranian authorities have called for nationwide protests during the funerals of the victims to express solidarity. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps condemned the incident as a cowardly attempt to destabilize the nation.
President Ebrahim Raisi denounced the assault as a “heinous and inhumane crime,” while the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed vengeance for the bombings.
Heightened tensions and Israel-Gaza war
The United Nations Security Council condemned the attack, labeling it a “cowardly terrorist attack,” and offered condolences to the victims’ families and the Iranian government.
The timing of the attack amid heightened tensions in the region, with ongoing clashes between Israel and Gaza, fueled speculation and incited crowds across Iran, chanting anti-Israel and anti-American slogans.
While the United States denied involvement in the explosions and ruled out Israeli association, it acknowledged the nature of the attack resembled past acts of terrorism by Islamic State.
The incident has cast a pall over Iran, amplifying regional tensions and triggering a wave of grief and anger nationwide.
(With inputs from Reuters)