The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility this Thursday (4) for an attack that killed 84 people and left almost 300 injured on Wednesday (3) in Kerman, Iran.
In a statement released on Telegram, the group classified the attack as a “double martyrdom operation” and stated that two terrorists detonated explosives tied to their bodies “near the tomb of the hypocritical leader”, in a reference to Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard killed by a US drone in 2020 and who was being honored by a crowd at the local cemetery at the time of the attack.
The Islamic State identified the two suicide bombers as Omar al-Mowhid and Saifallah al-Mujaahid, who carried out the attack so that “polytheists know that jihadists are behind them and their projects,” according to the statement.
The attack raised concerns about a possible escalation of tensions in the Middle East, the scene of a war that broke out after attacks by Hamas, a terrorist group supported by Iran, in Israel on October 7.
Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis, groups also endorsed by Tehran, have engaged in isolated clashes with Israeli forces, who are concentrating their war effort in the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised a “tough response” to Wednesday's attack, while Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi said before the release of the Islamic State statement that the perpetrators of “this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished for their heinous act by the competent security and law enforcement forces.” (With EFE Agency)
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