Over a Hundred Killed as Two Explosions Rock Memorial for Assassinated Iranian General

Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends a meeting in Tehran, Iran. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File) Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File

Local officials claimed the explosions were the result of a terrorist bombing.

By David Rosenberg

At least 100 people were killed and hundreds more injured Wednesday afternoon in a pair of explosions at a cemetery in Iran as mourners marked the anniversary of the assassination of a senior Iranian general.

The explosions were reported in the city of Kerman, in southeastern Iran, the home town of Lt. General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force.

Thousands of Iranians had gathered outside Soleimani’s final resting place Wednesday to mark the fourth anniversary of his death in an American drone strike.

Local officials speaking with Iranian state television claimed the explosions were the result of a terrorist bombing.

“The blasts were caused by terrorist attacks,” the deputy governor of the Kerman province said. “Several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery.”

According to Nournews multiple gas canisters were detonated next to a road outside the cemetery where the memorial was held.

“Our rapid response teams are evacuating the injured… But there are waves of crowds blocking roads,” Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman province Red Crescent, was quoted by state television as saying.

On Tuesday, a drone strike on a Hamas office in Beirut eliminated top terror chief Saleh al-Arouri, according to Lebanese reports.

The explosion rocked the south Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold.

Israel did not directly take credit for the blasts, although Prime Minister Netanyahu’s adviser Mark Regev did comment to MSNBC about the nature of the attack.

“Israel has not taken responsibility for this attack. But whoever did it must be clear that this was not an attack on the Lebanese state,” said Regev.

“It was not even an attack on Hezbollah terrorist organization. Whoever did this did a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership.”