General Suleimani's Service Blasts Kill Dozens in Iran, Raising Tensions

Dozens of people have reportedly been killed following explosions at a memorial ceremony in Iran marking the fourth anniversary of the United States killing of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani. Two explosions took place within 10 minutes in the southern city of Kerman, according to eyewitnesses. An unnamed Iranian official told state news agency IRNA that devices "were detonated remotely by terrorists," Reuters reported.

Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran's emergency services, said 73 people had been killed and 170 injured, while state television later said at least 100 people had been killed, the agency reported. Suleimani was the chief commander of Iran's Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Tehran retaliated to his assassination in 2020 by attacking two Iraq military bases where U.S. troops were based. No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's blasts which come amid tensions between Iran and Israel, along with its ally, the United States, over the war on Iranian backed militants in Gaza.

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