A new report says 84 people died in twin blasts near the mausoleum of slain General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

On Thursday, January 4, Iran lowered the official death toll from the previous day's attack in the country's south, now recording 84 deaths. “According to the latest figures, 84 people were killed”The head of the country's emergency services, Jafar Miadfar, announced on state television on Thursday “284 injured, 195 still in hospital”. Mr. According to Miadfar, it was difficult to identify the victims after the explosion as some bodies were decomposed.

In early January 2020, a double explosion occurred in Kerman (south) near the grave of General Qasem Soleimani, the architect of Iranian military operations in the Middle East, who was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq. A small crowd, made up of representatives of the Islamic Republic and anonymous people, had gathered there to commemorate the death of one of the country's most popular figures, an Iranian general.

It was the worst attack in Iran since a 1978 arson attack on a movie theater in Abadan killed at least 377 people, according to Agence France-Presse archives. State television has announced that mourning will be observed across the country.

The official IRNA news agency initially reported 103 dead, while state television reported 211 wounded, some of them critically. The Minister of Health, Bahram Ainollahi, revised it to 95 “Exact Number of Killed in Terror Incident”Explains specific names “Wrongly registered twice”.

Ayatollah Khamenei promises “severe response”.

According to IRNA, the first explosion occurred 700 meters from Qassem Soleimani's grave and the second one kilometer away. The local Tasnim agency notes that they were due “Bombs hidden in two bags”. “Criminals seem to have activated them by remote control”She explains again.

ISNA news agency quoted Kerman Mayor Said Tabrizi as saying the explosions occurred ten minutes apart. Videos posted on social media showed attendees desperately trying to leave the site as security personnel cordoned off the area. In other videos, people can be seen running, panicking and disoriented. Emergency services intervened quickly.

The attack comes amid the most tense regional environment since the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began nearly three months ago, and a day after an airstrike near Beirut killed a senior official of the Palestinian Islamist movement.

Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi condemned the attack. “There is no doubt that the perpetrators of this cowardly act will soon be identified and punished for their heinous act by the relevant security and law enforcement agencies. » Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised “Hard Response”. “The evil and criminal enemies of the Iranian nation have once again brought a catastrophe and made martyrs of our people in Kerman.”The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution announced in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also condemned the attack. “The murder of peaceful people going to a cemetery is shocking in its brutality and cynicism”He lamented in a message to his Iranian counterpart, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Kremlin. “We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms”The Russian president, a close ally of Iran, added.

Adviser to Iran's president blames US and Israel

For his part, European diplomatic chief Joseph Borrell spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. “Condolence following the horrific blasts [survenues] Killing Dozens of Civilians in Kerman Today », Mr Borrell wrote on social media. “I have condemned and expressed this terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms [ma] Solidarity with the Iranian people”, he added. Those who carried out this attack “To be responsible”Adds text.

Also the Secretary General of the United Nations “Compulsory Condemnation” Assault, call “So that those responsible are brought to justice” In court, its Deputy Spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino, A contacted. France, Germany, Jordan and Saudi Arabia also condemned the attack.

Washington ruled “absurd” Any suggestion that the US or Israel were involved in the attack, without specifying which allegations he was referring to. Washington says the US and Israel played no role in the terrorist attack in Iran's Kerman. Really? A fox cannot sense its own scentIn X, Mohammad Jamshidi, political adviser to the Iranian president, wrote back. Responsibility for this crime rests with the US and Zionist regimes, terrorism is only a tool. »

Israel, for its part, has not commented on the attack. “We are focused on fighting Hamas”Army spokesperson Daniel Hagari responded to the question.

Qassem Soleimani, Iranian hero

As night fell, many returned to Kerman's tomb and chanted “Death to Israel!” » And “Death to America!” ». In Tehran, thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to Qassem Soleimani. “We condemn today's heinous terrorist attack. (…) I hope the perpetrators of this crime are identified and punished for their actions.”General Soleimani's daughter Zaynab said.

Qassem Soleimani was killed in January 2020, aged 62, in a US drone strike in Iraq. Head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, responsible for the Islamic Republic's external affairs, he was also one of the country's most popular public figures.

After serving in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, the general quickly rose through the ranks. declared “The Living Martyr” Soleimani was hailed as a hero by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for defeating the jihadist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria while he was still alive. The Iranian Supreme Leader, upon his death, declared three days of national mourning.