Iran vows revenge after attack leaves dozens dead
The attack strikes Tehran to the core: a devastating attack occurs at a memorial service for a general who was killed. The Iranian leadership announces retaliation - even though it is still unclear who is behind the attack. However, the hardliners have already identified a culprit.
One day after the devastating attack in south-east Iran, the leadership in Tehran has vowed revenge. There will be a "strong retaliation", threatened First Vice President Mohammad Mochber during a visit to a hospital in the city of Kerman, where injured people were being treated after the two bomb explosions on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Justice, at least 95 people were killed in the explosions, while the Irna news agency also reported 211 injured. They had been attending a memorial service for General Kassem Soleimani, who was targeted and killed by a US drone in 2020. It was the deadliest attack in the Islamic Republic's 45-year history.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards described the act as a "cowardly act" aimed at "creating insecurity and taking revenge for the nation's deep love and affection for the Islamic Republic". The perpetrators would be punished "decisively and justly". Reports of gunfire in Kerman this Thursday were denied by the Revolutionary Guards. The Iranian government blamed "terrorists" for the attack. Hundreds of people had gathered at Soleimani's grave on the anniversary of his death.
Masterminds are still unknown
The background to the attack is still unclear. Influential hardliners in Iran blamed Israel for the explosions. There are many reasons to assume "that the Zionists (Israel) were involved in the terrorist explosions", according to an editorial in the arch-conservative newspaper "Keyhan". The authors called for swift revenge for the attack. Otherwise, an attack in the capital Tehran could be repeated, the article warned.
Iran's leadership reacted cautiously after the explosions and avoided apportioning blame. The US government rejected claims that it was involved in the attack. There was also no reason to believe that Israel was involved in the explosions, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in Washington on Wednesday. In view of the tense situation in the Middle East, there is growing concern about an expansion of the Gaza war.
The influential general was killed in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. He was head of the Quds Brigade, the elite unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards for foreign missions. Iran responded to the incident with attacks on two Iraqi military bases where US soldiers were stationed. This Thursday, the country is commemorating the many victims with a national day of mourning.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
Despite the ongoing investigation, the USA has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Tehran, calling for justice and unity in the face of such senseless violence. The Iranian government, meanwhile, has reiterated its commitment to bringing the perpetrators of the attack to account, regardless of their affiliations or nationalities.
Source: www.ntv.de
