103 slain in Iran after explosions rock Soleimani anniversary procession

KERMAN, Iran— A pair of explosions near the gravesite of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani has
claimed the lives of at least 103 individuals and left up to 141 others wounded in Kerman, Iran,
according to reports from Iranian media on Wednesday.

The blasts occurred during a ceremony commemorating Soleimani’s death anniversary, with Iranian
officials characterizing the incident as a result of terrorist attacks. The explosions took place on the
fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s killing in a 2020 U.S. drone strike ordered by then-President Trump.
 

Authorities attributed the blasts to the explosion of several gas canisters along the road leading to the
cemetery, but no arrests have been made as of yet. 

Notably, these tragic events unfold amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the U.S., and
Israel. In recent months, Iran’s proxy terrorist groups have targeted U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria over 100
times, while Houthi rebels in Yemen, supported by Iran, have disrupted trade in the Red Sea.
 

Additionally, Hezbollah, another Iran-backed group, has issued threats of drone attacks along Israel’s
northern border.