At least 103 people were killed and 170 others were injured after two explosions that happened near Iranian Army General Qasem Soleimani's grave in Kerman, Ednews informs that the Iranian Tasnim news agency on Wednesday, citing the Islamic Republic's Emergency Management Organization.

According to the agency, among the victims are at least six children. It was also reported that the first explosion occurred 700 meters from Soleimani's grave, while the second happened at a distance of about 1 km from the site.

The governor of Kerman province called the explosions a terrorist attack.

****17:39
Two explosions caused by 'terrorist attacks' killed more than 70 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate top commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a 2020 US drone attack, Iranian officials said on January 3, Ednews informs referring to Reuters.

Iranian state television reported a first and then a second explosion during an anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman.

"The blasts were caused by terrorist attacks," state media quoted a local official in the Kerman province as saying. Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for Iran's emergency services, was reported later as saying 73 people had been killed and 170 injured.

The semi-official Nournews had said earlier that "several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery".

State TV showed Red Crescent rescuers attending to wounded people at the ceremony, where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani's death. Some Iranian news agencies said the number of wounded people was much higher.

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