Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the country’s “evil and criminal enemies” behind the double bombings in the south-eastern city of Kerman on Wednesday.
Khamenei is pointing towards Israel and America. At least 103 people have died in these blasts. At least 170 people have also been injured in the bomb blasts at a ceremony organized at the grave of General Suleimani, killed in the American attack. He has also vowed a “strong response” to the blasts.
“The evil, criminal enemies of the Iranian nation have once again created a tragedy and martyred many of our dear people in the fragrant atmosphere of the martyrs’ graves in Kerman,” Khamenei said.
Iranian state television described the blasts in Kerman as a “terrorist attack.” The attack comes a day after heightened tensions in the Middle East and the assassination of Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri.
Saleh, who has been described as an ally of Iran, was killed in a Beirut drone attack. Lebanese officials have blamed Israel for this.
“The enemy should know that the soldiers following Soleimani’s bright path will not tolerate his meanness and crimes,” Khamenei said on microblogging website X. The bloodied hands of innocent people and the corrupt, evil minds that misled them certainly deserve strong attack and appropriate retribution.”
He further wrote in his X post, “The Iranian nation is in mourning and many families are mourning the death of their loved ones. Despite this, the stone-hearted criminals could not bear to see the love and affection of the people at the grave of our great commander Martyr Qasim Sulemani.”
Let us tell you that four years ago, Qasim Sulemani, the General of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, was killed in an American drone attack just outside Baghdad Airport.
Celebrations were being held in his hometown Kerman on Wednesday to mark his fourth death anniversary, when double blasts took place.