ISIS claims responsibility for attack that killed more than 80 people in Iran

Payton Davis
·2 min read
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Families of victims of explosions gather at the courtyard of a hospital in the city of Kerman, about 510 miles southeast of the capital Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. Two bombs exploded Wednesday at a commemoration for a prominent Iranian general slain by the U.S. in a 2020 drone strike, Iranian officials said, as the Middle East remains on edge over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the deadly Wednesday attack in southern Iran.

Twin blasts killed at least 84 people and injured 284 near the burial site of slain military commander Qassem Soleimani, CNN reported. It was Iran’s deadliest attack since 1979.

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According to The Associated Press, experts verified that the Thursday statement claiming responsibility came from IS. AP reported that Islamic State group members “likely hope to take advantage of the chaos gripping the region amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

Deadly Wednesday memorial

The crowd at the attack had gathered to honor Soleimani, killed in 2020 in a U.S. drone strike, Fox News reported.

Two suicide bombings targeted the memorial. It took place in Soleimani’s hometown of Kerman, according to Axios.

Shiite mourners were targeted, per CNN. Iran is a Shia Muslim-majority nation.

“ISIS considers the Shia branch of Islam to be heretical and has targeted shrines and religious sites in Iran previously,” CNN reported.

IS and Iran

IS has previously targeted Iran in terrorist attacks.

“The Islamic State group previously claimed a June 2017 attack in Tehran on parliament and a masoleum of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini that killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 50. The group has claimed two other assaults as well,” AP reported.

According to The Hill, Iran has promised a swift, harsh response to the attacks.