Terrorist attack strikes Iran: Over 100 deaths near Suleimani's tomb on third anniversary of his demise
At the time of the catastrophic event, the cemetery was teeming with a crowd who were gathering to observe the third anniversary of Suleimani's passing.
11:21 AM EST, January 3, 2024
Initially, state television suggested that the cause of the explosion could have been a gas cylinder blast. However, subsequent reports indicated that a terrorist attack had occurred. The Iranian agency Tasnim, citing local sources, asserted that two bags filled with explosives were detonated. The ensuing panic resulted in dozens of additional injuries.
Packed crowds obstruct rescuers
The head of the Red Crescent of Kerman province, Reza Falah, addressed state television with an update: "Our rapid response teams are facilitating the evacuation of the injured, but they are hampered by the throng of people on the roads."
A note of tragic irony is the recalling of a similar event in 2020 during Suleimani's funeral ceremony. Panic broke out in the crowd, ultimately leading to the deaths of 56 individuals.
Currently, the perpetrators of the attack remain unidentified.
Suleimani met his demise in a drone attack at an airport as commander of Al Quds
General Suleimani was the leader of Al Quds, an elite division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, assigned to execute intelligence and sabotage operations overseas and propagate the Islamic revolution.
Posthumously, CBS News compared his rank to the collective positions of Secretary of State, CIA Chief, and Pentagon Commander in the US. Suleimani was perceived as a potential candidate for the highest offices in Iran.
After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Suleimani organized sabotage missions and attacks against American soldiers in Iraq. During the Syrian war, he led Shiite militias in defense of President Bashar al-Assad. In a study by the Modern War Institute in West Point, US, Suleimani was ranked as the second most influential figure in Iran, only surpassed by Iran's highest spiritual-political leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Public polls indicate a remarkable approval rate of 80% from Iranian citizens.
General Suleimani was assassinated on January 3, 2020, in Baghdad airport as a result of a US drone strike. US authorities accused Suleimani of executing and planning attacks on American sites in the Middle East. The proposed targets of these attacks reportedly included American embassies and military bases, with the assaults projected to be imminent.
