Tehran, Iran

At least 84 people  were killed and more than 140 others injured in Iran on Wednesday (Jan 3) in twin blasts that took place in quick succession near the grave of late general Qasem Soleimani, state television reported.  

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IRNA said 141 people were wounded in the blasts with some "in critical condition". 

The explosions took place on the anniversary of Soleimani's killing in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020. The state media quoted a local official in the Kerman province as saying that the "blasts were caused by terrorist attacks". 

According to the semi-official Nournews, "Several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery". 

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Hundreds of people were present at the cemetery, and state TV showed Red Crescent rescuers attending to wounded people at the ceremony.  

Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman province Red Crescent, told state TV: "Our rapid response teams are evacuating the injured... But there are waves of crowds blocking roads." 

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Iran-based Tasnim news agency reported that the first blast happened at 15:04 pm (local time) when people were packed on a road leading to a cemetery where the tomb of Soleimani is located. 

The second blast occurred around 13 minutes later. 

Also read: Benny Gantz preferred over Benjamin Netanyahu after Gaza war ends, poll finds 

Who was Soleimani? 

Soleimani was an Iranian military officer who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He was the commander of the Quds Force, which is an IRGC division primarily responsible for extraterritorial and clandestine military operations, from 1998 until his death. 

He was killed in a US drone strike just outside Baghdad airport. 

(With inputs from agencies)