Iran's head of state Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has announced a sharp reaction to the terrorist attack in Kerman that left more than 100 dead. “Know that this catastrophic act will bring a harsh response, God willing,” the religious leader said on Wednesday, according to a statement published in state media. The 84-year-old expressed his condolences to the victims and families.
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi also strongly condemned the terrorist attack. According to a government statement on Wednesday, he instructed the authorities to alleviate the suffering of the victims and injured. At the same time, he called for a decisive response. “Without a doubt, the perpetrators and those who ordered this cowardly act will soon be identified and (…) punished for their heinous act,” the head of government was quoted as saying.
Iran's interior minister also announced that the perpetrators would be held accountable. According to the state news agency Irna, Ahmad Wahidi said about possible background: “We have information, but it needs to be confirmed.” It was initially unclear who was responsible for the explosions.
Increased tensions in the Middle East
On the anniversary of the death of the powerful Iranian general Ghassem Soleimani, more than 100 people were killed and around 210 others injured in two explosions in his hometown of Kerman. It was the deadliest attack in the 45-year history of the Islamic Republic.
27 injured remain in critical condition. As Iranian media unanimously reported on Wednesday, more than 100 patients were operated on in hospitals after the attack. Rescue workers were also among those killed, as the media reported, citing the Ministry of Health.
Soleimani was killed four years ago in a drone strike near Baghdad ordered by then US President Donald Trump. The general commanded the Quds Force, the branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard responsible for foreign operations. The explosions near his grave on Wednesday came amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
The USA denied any responsibility for the attack in Kerman. “The United States was in no way involved, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in Washington on Wednesday. He added that his administration also had “no reason to believe” that Israel have to do with the incident.
The European Union (EU) condemned the bombing on Wednesday as an “act of terrorism”. “The EU strongly condemns today's bomb attack in the Iranian city of Kerman,” the European External Action Service said in a statement released on Wednesday. The EU expresses its solidarity “with the Iranian people”.
“This act of terrorism has resulted in a shocking number of civilian deaths and injuries,” it said. The perpetrators must be held accountable.
The federal government also condemned the attack. “We are deeply saddened by the many deaths in today’s explosions in #Kerman, including many children,” the Foreign Office wrote on Wednesday on the online platform X, formerly Twitter. “We condemn this act of terrorism.” The people of Iran deserve a future of peace and security, it continued.
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