What’s known, and what remains unclear, about the deadly explosions in Iran
Here’s what’s known — and what remains unclear — about Wednesday’s deadly explosions in Iran
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Your support makes all the difference.Here’s what’s known — and what remains unclear — about Wednesday’s deadly explosions in Iran:
• Authorities say the twin bombings killed at least 103 people and wounded 211 others.
• The attack is the deadliest to strike Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
• The second explosion occurred about 20 minutes after the first, which is often a technique used by militants to harm both civilians and emergency responders after an initial assault.
• The attack came during commemorations for the fourth anniversary of the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, in a U.S. drone strike in neighboring Iraq. The explosions occurred near his grave site as long lines of people gathered for the event.
• No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in Kerman.
• Iran has faced targeted killings and sabotage attacks suspected to have been carried out by Israel. However, those assaults did not include mass casualty bombings like Wednesday’s attack.
• Sunni extremist groups including the Islamic State group have conducted large-scale attacks in the past that killed civilians in Shiite-majority Iran.