People gather at the scene of explosions during a ceremony held to mark the death of late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in Kerman, Iran, January 3, 2024.
Credit: Reuters/WANA
New Delhi: India on Thursday said it is shocked and saddened over the "terrible" bombings in Iran's Kerman city, and expressed solidarity with the government and people of the Middle East nation.
At least 95 people were killed and many others injured on Wednesday in two bomb explosions near the cemetery of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a drone strike in 2020.
"We are shocked and saddened on the terrible bombings in the Kerman city of Iran. At this difficult time, we express our solidarity with the government and people of Iran," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and with the wounded," he said on 'X'.
The people killed and injured had gathered at a ceremony near Soleimani's cemetery to commemorate the commander on his fourth death anniversary.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Iran is taking "legal and international actions" over the terror attacks in Kerman.
"Based on preliminary information from official sources, this ministry has initiated immediate legal and international actions through the United Nations regarding the terrorist attack in Kerman," Amirabdollahian said in post on 'X'.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a message following the attacks in which he warned "criminals" of punishment and a hard response over the tragedy, according to IRNA news agency.