After the twin attack, which coincided with the fourth death anniversary of killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, shook Iran on Wednesday (Jan 3), reactions have started to trickle down with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi terming the “terrorist attacks” as “heinous”.
Notably, at least 103 people have been killed and 140 others are left injured in the wake of the twin blasts near Soleimani’s grave. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who holds good relations with Iran and held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Raisi in the first week of December 2023, has also expressed shock over the incident.
He extended his condolences in a letter to Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei where he said, “The killing of peaceful people visiting the cemetery is shocking in its cruelty and cynicism.”
United States killed Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. Fast forward to today, the US alleges that Iran is playing a key role in supplying drones to Russia to back the nation against its war against Ukraine. A quick reaction from Putin was everyone’s guess.
Bombs detonated via remote control
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency citing sources said that the bombs were detonated using a remote control. “Two bags carrying bombs went off,” the agency report added.
The footage in the wake of the attack, Iran’s deadliest since the 1979 uprising which resulted in the establishment of the Islamic Republic, was soon shared on social media platforms. It showed crowds fleeing from the incident site to seek safety for themselves.
Following the attack, Iran’s security personnel cordoned off the area as some of the visuals that poured in from Iran’s state TV showed victims covered in blood and lying on the ground.
Ambulances and rescue personnel are on the site to “alleviate the impact of this cowardly criminal act”.
(With inputs from agencies)
