South Asian nations, neighbours condemn terrorist attack in Iran

NEW DELHI, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- South Asian countries and Iran's neighbours have strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the southeastern Iranian city of Kerman.

"Pakistan and its people express their solidarity with the Iranian people in their hour of sorrow. Pakistan's sympathies are with the bereaved families who lost loved ones in the attacks," President Arif Alvi said on Thursday.

Condemning the blasts in Kerman, the Afghanistan government extended its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Iran.

India was shocked and saddened by the terrible bombings in Kerman, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Two bomb blasts targeted a ceremony commemorating the fourth death anniversary of Iran's top commander General Qassem Soleimani near his burial site on Wednesday, killing at least 84 people and wounding more than 200.

Soleimani, the former head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was assassinated by the United States in a drone attack in Iraq in 2020.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye were among the countries denouncing the carnage in Kerman.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha in a statement condemning the attack expressed the 57-member body's solidarity with Iran.

Iran has accused Israel of being behind the terror attack and has vowed a harsh response against those involved in it.

-- BERNAMA