Tehran - Two bomb explosions near the tomb of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani have resulted in the tragic death of at least 73 people, as reported by Iran's state media on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US. According to the state broadcaster Irib, an additional 171 individuals were wounded during the blasts, which targeted a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the southern city of Kerman. Kerman's deputy governor referred to the incident as a "terrorist attack."

A circulated online video appeared to show several bodies on a road. The blasts occurred during a ceremony commemorating General Soleimani, drawing hundreds of people walking towards the tomb. Soleimani, considered one of Iran's most influential figures after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was assassinated in a US drone strike in neighboring Iraq in 2020.

As the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, Soleimani played a crucial role in shaping Iranian policy across the region. He was responsible for overseeing clandestine missions, providing guidance, funding, weapons, intelligence, and logistical support to allied governments and armed groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

The 2020 assassination, ordered by then-US President Donald Trump, led him to describe Soleimani as "the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world."