Islamic State Claims Its Suicide Bombers Were Responsible For Deadly Blasts In Iran
The Islamic State (IS) extremist group has claimed responsibility for a pair of explosions in Iran that killed at least 84 people during commemorations for a former Iranian commander slain four years ago in a U.S. airstrike.
In a statement on Telegram, the group said two of its members "activated their explosives vests" at a gathering marking the anniversary of the death of Qasem Soleimani, a former commander of the elite Quds Force.
The incident has intensified fears of widening conflict in the region as Israel continues its war against the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Yemeni-based Huthi rebels also allied with Iran continue their attacks on Red Sea commercial shipping.
Iranian state news agency IRNA on January 4 quoted the head of the National Medical Emergency Organization, Jafar Miadfar, as revising the death toll downward for a second time since the explosions, in the southeastern city of Kerman, from 95 to 84 killed and 284 injured.
Iranian authorities declared January 4 a day of mourning for the victims of the blasts.
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-kerman-soleimani-blasts-us-israel-involvement/32759460.html