Egypt condemns bombings in Iran, calls them 'terrorist attacks'

CAIRO

Egypt on Thursday strongly condemned the Wednesday bombings targeting civilians in the Iranian city of Kerman that claimed over 80 lives and injured over 280 others, calling them "terrorist attacks."

"Sincere condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we ask God to grant patience to the families of the victims," the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

On Wednesday, at least two powerful explosions ripped through Kerman, near the cemetery where Iran's former top military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani is buried, killing 84 people and injuring 284 others, with several in critical condition.

Iranian officials revised the death toll from the twin bombings down on Thursday morning after initially announcing 103 deaths in the terrorist attack.

Thousands of people had gathered to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, who was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad in Jan. 2020.

The Iranian government has declared a one-day nationwide mourning for the victims of the attack.

Egyptian-Iranian relations are currently at a diplomatic level, with both countries working to improve them. On Dec. 24, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi discussed outstanding issues between the two countries, as well as the latest situation in the besieged Gaza Strip over the phone.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were cut off in 1980 due to the success of the Iranian revolution and the ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi seeking refuge in Cairo.

The deterioration of relations worsened after the Camp David Agreement between Egypt and Israel.

Relations were resumed in 1991 at the level of charge d'affaires and interest sections.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio