Press Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike in January 2020.
CNN
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At least 73 people were killed Wednesday and 170 injured in the Iranian city of Kerman after twin blasts near the burial site of slain military commander Qasem Soleimani, in what officials called a terror attack, according to state media.
The first explosion was 700 meters away from Soleimani’s grave, and the second was a kilometer (0.6 miles) away as pilgrims visited the site, IRNA added.
Soleimani was killed by a US airstrike ordered by former President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport four years ago Wednesday.
IRNA cited the Deputy Governor for Political and Security saying it’s unclear if the “incident was caused by a gas explosion or a terrorist attack.”
Videos posted on Iranian state media showed large crowds running in the area after the explosion.
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Formerly one of Iran’s most powerful men, Soleimani was head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, an elite unit that handles Iran’s overseas operations and was deemed to be a foreign terrorist organization by the US.
The Pentagon says Soleimani and his troops were “responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.”
Known as Iran’s “shadow commander,” Soleimani – who had led the Quds Force since 1998 – was the mastermind of Iranian military operations in Iraq and Syria.
This is a breaking news story. More details soon…
