Explosions at Soleimani Memorial Event Leave Over 100 Dead

Hyderabad: Explosions rocked an event commemorating the fourth anniversary of the death of General Qassem Soleimani, a prominent Iranian figure killed in a US airstrike in 2020. According to state-run media in Iran on Wednesday, at least 100 people were killed, and over 170 others were wounded in the blasts. Iranian authorities have labeled the incident a "terroristic" attack, without specifying the responsible party.

The event took place near Soleimani's grave site in Kerman, approximately 820 kilometers southeast of Tehran. Footage suggested that the second blast occurred about 15 minutes after the first, a tactic sometimes employed by militants to target emergency responders and increase casualties.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Iranian officials have not identified potential culprits. The explosions occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East due to Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

General Qassem Soleimani, the former head of the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, played a key role in Iran's regional military activities. He gained prominence after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, with his popularity growing as a result of American accusations of arming militants with lethal explosives. Soleimani's death in a US drone strike in 2020 further escalated tensions between Iran and the United States, leading to large processions and, tragically, a deadly stampede at his funeral.