Islamic State has claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran that resulted in nearly 100 casualties and numerous injuries during a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani. The militant Sunni Muslim group stated on its Telegram channels that two of its members detonated explosive belts in the crowd gathered at a cemetery in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday.
The memorial marked the fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s death, who was assassinated in Iraq in 2020 by a U.S. drone. White House spokesman John Kirby acknowledged Islamic State’s claim of responsibility, stating that the United States was not in a position to doubt it.
Tehran has pledged retaliation for the deadliest attack since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with 284 people, including children, wounded in the twin blasts. Iranian authorities have called for mass protests on Friday during the funerals of the victims. The Revolutionary Guard Corps described the attacks as a cowardly act aimed at creating insecurity and seeking revenge against the nation’s deep love for the Islamic Republic.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the “heinous and inhumane crime,” and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge for the bombings. The United Nations Security Council condemned the “cowardly terrorist attack” and offered condolences to the victims’ families and the Iranian government.
While details about the attackers and their motives remain unclear, experts suggest that the Islamic State branch based in neighboring Afghanistan, known as ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K, could be involved. ISIS-K has been behind numerous foiled plots in the last five years, with a focus on attacking Shiites, Iran’s dominant sect.
The attack occurs amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Gaza. Iranian state TV showed crowds chanting anti-Israel and anti-America slogans in various cities across Iran, including Kerman. The United States denied involvement in the explosions, emphasizing that they appeared to be a terrorist attack consistent with those carried out by Islamic State in the past.
Tehran often accuses its arch enemies, Israel and the United States, of backing anti-Iran militant groups. The US assassination of Soleimani in 2020 and subsequent events brought the United States and Iran close to full-blown conflict.
