Tragedy has struck Iran once again, with more than 100 people killed in twin blasts near the grave of slain Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.
The attack occurred near the holy city of Ahvaz in the southern province of Khuzestan. Witnesses have reported that two consecutive explosions occurred close to each other near the grave site of the late commander.
The blasts reportedly killed over 100 people, many of them civilians. More than 200 have reportedly been wounded in the attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the tragedy.
Iranian military leaders have vowed to retaliate for the attack. Iranian military leaders have declared the attack a “terrorist” incident and have promised to respond in kind.
This latest tragedy follows the death of Mahmoud Mousavi, a funeral attendee of the slain commander that was killed in a drone attack in Iraq earlier this month. Mousavi was reportedly targeted by the US military in retaliation for a recent enemy rocket attack against US forces.
The death of Qassem Soleimani marked a major escalation in tensions between the US and Iran. He was a revered figure in the country and his funeral turned into a massive display of mourning. Tensions appear to be unlikely to deescalate as a result of this latest attack.
The people of Iran deserve peace, and the global community must come together to support the families of the victims and condemn such heinous acts of violence. The United Nations should be working to bring an end to this cycle of violence and acts of terrorism.