At least 103 dead in bomb blasts near Iran general Qasem Soleimani's tomb - state TV

On the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani by the US, two bomb explosions occurred near his tomb, resulting in the death of at least 103 people, as reported by Iran's state media. The blasts took place during a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in Kerman, a city in southern Iran, injuring dozens more.

The deputy governor of Kerman described the incident as a 'terrorist attack'. Videos circulating on the internet showed bodies strewn on a road and ambulances rushing to the scene. The perpetrators of the explosions remain unknown, with no immediate claims of responsibility from any groups. However, Arab separatists, Islamic State (IS) and other Sunni jihadist groups have previously claimed responsibility for deadly attacks on security forces and Shia shrines in Iran.

Soleimani was considered the second most powerful figure in Iran, after the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before his death in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020. This incident comes amidst heightened tensions in the region following the death of the deputy leader of the Iran-backed Palestinian group, Hamas, in an apparent Israeli drone strike in Lebanon.