The site of a deadly double explosion in Kerman in south-central Iran, January 3, 2024 (Fars)
A Weakened Iran Regime Lashes Out — and Gets Punched in the Nose
UPDATES: Israel Assassinates Iran Revolutionary Guards Commander in Syria
UPDATE, JAN 25:
The US secretly warned Tehran in advance of the Islamic State’s January 3 attack that killed 91 civilians in a ceremonial march in Kerman in south-central Iran, according to American officials.
The warning was based on intelligence which the US obtained about ISIS plans. It was given to Iran based on Washington’s “duty to warn” policy.
An official explained, “We provide these warnings in part because we do not want to see innocent lives lost in terror attacks.”
The officials did not say what channels were used to deliver the message. The US and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
UPDATE, JAN 8:
The death toll from last Wednesday’s double bombing in Kermin in south-central Iran has risen to 91.
Two victims, including a child, died in hospital over the weekend.
UPDATE, JAN 5:
Altering their initial account, Iranian officials acknowledge that suicide bombers carried out Wednesday’s twin blasts in Kerman which killed at least 84 people and wounded 284.
Authorities had said that the two bombs were placed in bags. But an unnamed official told State outlet IRNA:
The suicide bomber in the first incident was a man who was completely dismembered as a result of the explosion and the identification of the suicide bomber is under investigation.
The cause of the second blast was most likely the same.
The revised statement matches the claim made by the Islamic State on Thursday as it took responsibility for the mass killing.
This morning Iran’s leadership has shifted its narrative from blame of Israel to blame of “US-created ISIS”. President Ebrahim Raisi declared that the US was seeking to “establish another Israel in the region with an Islamic appearance….The other Israel was supposed to be formed in the name of ISIS.”
Revolutionary Guards commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami added, “ISIS acts only as mercenaries for the US and Israeli regime.”
Iran Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi claimed a “number of suspects” had been arrested. He gave no details.
The #Kerman terror attacks claimed the lives of 22 students, 11 from primary schools and 11 from high schools, said a local official. Among the victims, half were girls.#Iran pic.twitter.com/NeRAA15Vw7
— Iran Nuances (@IranNuances) January 5, 2024
UPDATE 1839 GMT:
The Islamic State has claimed for Wednesday’s explosions in Kerman in south-central Iran.
ISIS media outlet Al-Furqan claimed two suicide bombers detonated their explosive vests during the marches to the grave of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by a US drone.
The statement, “And Kill Them Wherever You Find Them”, said the bombers targeted a gathering of “polytheists” remembering their “dead leader” Soleimani.
ISIS offered no proof and their account of the blasts differs from the claims in Iranian State media that the explosives were placed inside bags, rather than detonated by suicide bombers.
UPDATE 0920 GMT:
Iran’s National Medical Emergency Organization has revised the toll from Wednesday’s double explosion in Kerman to 84 killed and 284 injured.
UPDATE, JAN 4:
Israel has told allied countries that its intelligence services were not involved in the explosions killing at least 103 people in Kerman in south-central Iran on Wednesday, according to sources “familiar with Israeli operations”.
Officials told The Wall Street Journal that the nature of the attack does not match the pattern of Israeli operations that have targeted individuals or infrastructure associated with Iran’s military, security forces, and nuclear program.
The Iranian regime is blaming Israel. President Ebrahim Raisi said in an address on State TV, “Have no doubt that you will pay a heavy price for this crime and the crimes you have committed.”
But a White House official, citing US Government analysts, said, “I think this really looks like a terrorist attack – something we’ve seen in the past from ISIS. And this, as far as I understand, is our current version.”
State Department spokesman Matt Miller said the US “does not have any independent information” about the explosions and the State Department has “no reason to believe that Israel was involved”.
ORIGINAL ENTRY, JAN 3:
At least 103 people have been killed and 211 wounded in a double explosion at a memorial ceremony in Kerman in south-central Iran.
The crowd was marking the fourth anniversary of the killing of Qassem Suleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, by a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. They were marching to his burial site in Golzar Shohada, the Garden of Martyrs cemetery.
Video shows the moment explosions rocked the Iranian city of Kerman where mourners gathered to commemorate the 4th martyrdom anniversary of Gen. Soleimani pic.twitter.com/y0c338udrO
— Press TV (@PressTV) January 3, 2024
Eyewitnesses and Kerman Mayor Saeed Tabrizi said the explosions were 10 minutes apart from 2:50 p.m. The first explosion occurred about 700 meters from Soleimani’s grave and the second one about one kilometer away.
Some reports claimed four blasts.
Among the dead were two rescuers, slain in the second explosion. Some people were injured by a stampede in between the detonations.
A senior Iranian official said the explosions were a “terroristic” attack, but not elaborate on who might be responsible. Others spoke of bombs, loaded in two bags, detonated remotely.
Key reformist activist approved to run for Majlis elections: https://www.isna.ir/news/1402110503728
Alireza Khamesian is a key ally of Mohammed Reza Aref and is a critic of the Raisi government and, using couched language, of Khamenei.
“No To Execution” Hunger-Strike Movement Spreads Across Iran and Abroad
https://iranwire.com/en/news/124714-no-to-execution-hunger-strike-movement-spreads-across-iran-and-abroad/
Israel!!! Behave or irgc will flatten iranian cities for revenge. Or, as we say in farsi, “shaste pamoon ro mikonim to cheshme khodemoon”(translation, we will hurt ourselves out of incompetence)
Reports: Iranian Petrochemical Plant Hit by at Least One Rocket
https://iranwire.com/en/news/124218-reports-iranian-petrochemical-plant-hit-by-at-least-one-rocket/
Fearing Low Turnout, Khamenei Orders Officials To Send People To Polls
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401094228
“Meanwhile, he tried to intimidate the nation by saying that not voting is playing into the hands of the United States and other enemies of the Islamic revolution.
Khamenei said, “The masses can do anything.” But he probably forgot that he ordered his commanders to suppress the masses. Only in one protest in 2019 his security forces killed at least 1,500 people from among the masses. In the meantime, Khamenei has done little to pacify a disgruntled nation that has lost all hope in any positive change.”
Remember how Nazis at the end were sending 14 year olds to the front? This picture is worth a thousand words
Children Used as Hijab Enforcers in Tehran Metro
https://iranwire.com/en/news/124165-children-used-as-hijab-enforcers-in-tehran-metro/
Canada Reiterates Resolve To Designate IRGC
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401090567
Iranian Singer Sentenced To Prison, Lashes For Song Criticizing Hijab Law
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-singer-yarrahi-prison-lashes/32767221.html
Flight 752: Khamenei Ordered IRGC Missile System’s Deployment Near Tehran Airport, Army Unaware
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/124130-flight-752-khamenei-ordered-irgc-missile-systems-deployment-near-tehran-airport-army-unaware/
Former Adviser To Khamenei’s Office Secretly Executed For Espionage
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401088612
I don’t know anything about the case, but likely a basiji chum fall victim to khamenei’s inner games
Confusion Over Iran Bombing As Opponents Blame The Regime: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401058049
“This sentiment is very common among Iranians. It is expressed in various forms and on various grounds, such as the fact that no official or figure of note, not even Soleimani’s family, were present at the ceremony. All such assertions arrive at the same conclusion that “it was the regime itself.”
The latest spin on bombing…mullah state claims there were 16 other bombs in the area that they discovered and were disabled before they blew up. And, there were another 64 bombs that they discovered. That makes it 80 bombs plus those that did blow up….
One must ask, why did you not clear the area before explosion if youvwere so on top of affair. And what kind of security is it that the “enemy” just raids in with 80 bombs just in place?
Mullahs really need to manage their lies better so they don’t backfire
ELECTION UPDATE: Some former Reformist MPs approved and current ones disqualified: https://www.ilna.ir
According to ILNA, the MP for Mahabad, Jalal Mahmoodzadeh, who criticised the crackdown against rioters during the WLF in Kurdish areas, has been disqualified but has stated he will appeal. Meanwhile, two prominent reformists from previous parliaments, Zahra Sa’i and Ali Yousefinejad , have been approved to run again.
Boys and girls, strap your saddles tight you are going for rodeo ride with different version of the bombing. There were fourexplosions, no they were two. There were suicide bombers, no there two bags in garbage bins. The video shows the bomber, no there are no videos. It was israel no it was iss, no it was the US. In the meantime ISS takes responsibilities, no stupid, it was MEK.
Guess who, it’ll come out, it is iri outsourcing its crimes….
Guardians Council spokesman: 11,000 qualified to run out of 21,000 who were eligible: https://nournews.ir/Fa/News/160501
Thousands more are expected to be approved over the coming weeks during the appeals process. I should mention that time all registration was done online unlike in previous contests. This may explain some spurious and invalid applications in the pre-registration period.
Key reformists/moderate figures approved to run: https://www.alef.ir/news/4021014069.html
Telegram reports indicate that 52% of applicants have had their candidacies approved with the rest rejected (subject to appeals) or have withdrawn.
Tomorrow we will get official outcomes. Either way, it will be the largest number of candidates in any election. Most are independent ordinary people and not politicians.
Iran’s Reformists Call For Delaying Parliamentary Elections
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401049026
You just hope you weren’t drowning in SHIT
Prominent reformists have registered for the election according to Hussein Marashi, head of the Reform Front: https://www.isna.ir/news/1402101006781
“180 members of the Reform Front parties have nominated themselves in the elections, and we have to see how many of them are approved to run. If 20 people are confirmed, we will sit at home, but if more are confirmed, we will prepare a list.”
Thousands of minor reformists and moderates have also registered.
John Bolton claims the bombing was a cynical inside job: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/01/04/iran-explosion-israel-hamas-bolton-source-vpx.cnn?dicbo=v2-4xK7jv8
Well, Bolton didn’t say anything earth shattering. No point in referring to him.
People like Bolton on one side, and the doves on the other side who insist on being a dove right to their last drop of blood are what is wrong with america
There were no suicide bombers, and the fact that the bombs were remotely detonated makes me suspect it was an MeK-Mossad operation.
“… the fact that the bombs were remotely detonated makes me suspect it was an MeK-Mossad operation….”
The fact that all casualties were poor people who were bused in, and no authorities of any level whatsoever were presents tells who should be the suspect.
This is gonna be another SHITTY feather in khamenei’s turban
[Editor’s Note: The idea that the “operating equipment may have been hacked” in the killing of 176 passengers and crew on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 is, of course, a line put out by the Iranian regime to cover up its deadly error in the shootdown of the jet.]
“Well, “terroristic” it was but that doesn’t exclude the regime which is the master terrorist. Remember what followed soleimani’s killing? Remember shooting down the civilian flight 752? Fast forward to today, It is the same formula.”
As I suspected, some oppositionists will blame the authorities for the bombings today. The shooting down of 752 was a mistake by a local commander, reacting under stress, and operating equipment that some suspected may have been hacked or was not properly aligned.
That is quite an error, Scott. Not recognizing a descending object from the one that is ascending, and not one but firing two missiles at it 30 seconds apart.
The Americans downed an Iranian airliner in 1988 thinking it was descending rather than ascending. They then covered up the fact that the warship had been in Iranian waters at the time for three years.
“What seems to have been a case of bad judgements and human error does, however, include some elements that have yet to be explained. The Iranian missile operator reportedly experienced considerable “jamming” and the plane’s transponder switched off and stopped transmitting several minutes before the missiles were launched. There were also problems with the communication network of the air defense command, which may have been related.”https://www.globalresearch.ca/who-targeted-ukraine-airlines-flight-752-iran/5700765
“A senior Iranian official said the explosions were a “terroristic” attack, but not elaborate on who might be responsible. Others spoke of bombs, loaded in two bags, detonated remotely.”
Well, “terroristic” it was but that doesn’t exclude the regime which is the master terrorist.
Remember what followed soleimani’s killing? Remember shooting down the civilian flight 752? Fast forward to today, It is the same formula.
The timing of this means that SECURITY may become an issue in the Majlis elections which would, otherwise, be dominated by the following five issues:
1. INFLATION (and cost of living)
2. CORRUPTION
3. CIVIL RIGHTS v MORAL VALUES
4. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
5. HOUSING
These national issues are superseded by LOCAL issues and LOCAL candidate rivalries in smaller towns and rural counties across Iran where the usual discourse of conservatives v reformists is largely irrelevant.