11 Arrested in Connection with Deadly Bombings at Memorial Service in Iran

Islamic State Claims Responsibility for the Attack

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES —

Iranian authorities announced on Friday that they have apprehended eleven individuals suspected of involvement in the devastating bomb blasts that occurred during a memorial service for a slain military commander, resulting in the loss of nearly 90 lives.

The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for the meticulously planned attacks that took place in Kerman, southeastern Iran, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Iran’s intelligence ministry revealed that security forces have detained two individuals who provided support to the two suicide bombers in Kerman. Additionally, they have apprehended nine other suspects from different parts of Iran who are believed to have links to the incident.

These bombings mark the deadliest attacks witnessed in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Heart-wrenching scenes were observed as victims were laid to rest on Friday. Mourners sobbed uncontrollably beside the coffins, and chants of “revenge, revenge” echoed through the crowds, as depicted by state TV.

These blasts occurred amid a highly tense atmosphere in the region, with Israel’s conflict against Hamas in Gaza approaching the three-month mark.

The Intelligence Ministry disclosed that their agents have successfully seized various explosive devices and raw materials during the operation. The confiscated items include explosive vests, remote-control devices, detonators, and thousands of pellets utilized in creating explosive vests. Furthermore, they identified one of the suicide bombers as a Tajik national.

On Thursday, the Islamic State claimed that two of their members detonated explosive belts amidst the gathering of mourners at General Qassem Soleimani’s memorial.

During the funeral held at Kerman’s Imam Ali religious center, Revolutionary Guards commander Major-General Hossein Salami declared, “We will find you wherever you are.”

In a televised address, President Ebrahim Raisi stated, “Our forces will determine the time and place to take action.”

In 2022, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shiite shrine in Iran, resulting in the death of 15 individuals. Other attacks previously attributed to the Islamic State include twin bombings in 2017 targeting Iran’s parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.