The Islamic State terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the bombings in Kerman yesterday. In a statement posted on the group’s Telegram channel, they claim two Islamic State terrorists — suicide bombers — detonated explosive belts outside of the security perimeter, about a mile from Iranian General Qasem Soleimani’s gravesite.
The number of deaths was lowered from 103 to 84 after health authorities removed duplicate names from the list of victims. However, the death toll could rise, as many of the 284 people wounded are currently in critical condition.
Iranian officials have not confirmed the Islamic State’s responsibility for the attack, or whether they believe a foreign state is responsible. According to journalist Mario Nawfal on X, Sky News Arabia quoted an Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander as saying, “Those who carried out the two bombings in Kerman were Israeli and American agents.”
University of Tehran Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi told Iranian state-owned news network Press TV, “People think that it was probably the Israelis that carried out this operation, either alone or with an ally like ISIS, because the Israelis and ISIS cooperated in the dirty war in Syria.”
