Iran’s Government say at least 84 people lost their lives after two bomb explosions near the tomb of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US.
According to reports, scores were wounded when the blasts hit a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman Mosque in the city of Kerman, with videos showing bodies on a road and ambulances rushing to the scene.
There were no immediate claims from any groups for what is believed to have been the deadliest such attack in Iran in 42 years but Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has claimed that Israel and U.S were connected to the blast, vowing that the action will not go unpunished.
In his reaction, US national security spokesperson, John Kirby denied the allegation, noting that there was nothing tangible to connect both nations to blast, warning that Iran should be cautious in making such inflammatory statements.
Meanwhile, a world affairs analyst, Professor Sahar Razavi has expressed concerns of Iran’s next line of action, hinting that the attack may lead to a reprisal which can escalate the already volatile situation in the middle east.
