At least 73 people were killed in Iran as two blasts struck a crowd marking the anniversary of the 2020 killing of general Qasem Soleimani, state television has reported.
Around 170 people were also injured in the incident which took place on Wednesday near the grave of the head of foreign operations of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in a mosque in the southern city of Kerman, the television reported quoting the country's National Medical Services Organisation.
A ceremony was being held to mark the 2020 death of the country's top commander in a US drone attack, according to Iranian media.
The semi-official Nournews said "several gas canisters exploded on the road leading to the cemetery".
A local official was quoted by Iranian state media as saying "it is not yet clear whether the explosions were caused by gas cylinders or a terrorist attack".
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 at least 50 people were wounded.
"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.
➤Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
