World Leaders, Int’l Bodies Send Condolences to Iran After Kerman Terror Attacks

By Staff, Agencies

World leaders extended their countries’ condolences to Iran over the deadly terrorist attack during a commemorative event honoring the Quds Force's late General Qassem Soleimani, whose 2020 assassination by a US drone strike has continued to reverberate throughout the region.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended his condolences to his counterpart in Iran in the wake of what he called a "serious terrorist attack" this week, China’s state media said on Thursday.

Xi told Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi that he was "shocked to learn that serious terror attacks have taken place in Iran's Kerman, causing heavy casualties," China's official Xinhua News Agency said.

"Xi stressed that China opposes all forms of terrorism, strongly condemns terrorist attacks and firmly supports Iran's efforts in safeguarding national security and stability," Xinhua said.

In his message to Raisi, Xi expressed solidarity with Iran. The two nations have cultivated a partnership in recent years that spans the economic, military and technological domains.

For his part, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic condemned the terrorist attack, saying his country stands by Iran in the fight against terrorism.

In a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Thursday, Vucic condemned the acts of terror, expressing condolence on the part of the Serbian government and people with the Iranian government and nation.

He expressed hope that the masterminds and perpetrators of the terror attacks be immediately consigned to justice and face the legal implications of the atrocity.

The Serbian president also noted that his country stood by Iran's side in the fight against terrorism.

Furthermore, Pakistani caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has extended his country's condolences to Iran.

In a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Thursday, Jilani expressed solidarity with the people of Iran at the moment of grief on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, the ministry said in a statement.

The Pakistani foreign minister termed terrorism as a common threat to both Pakistan and Iran which needed to be countered by effective measures, it added.

Also, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the twin bombings and expressed the deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the Iranian government, and wished a full recovery to those injured.

"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," it said.

The Council's members also demanded accountability for the perpetrators and reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable.

The calls of condolences came a day after two back-to-back explosions killed at least 84 people and wounded scores of others at a memorial ceremony that was being held for Iran's former senior anti-terror commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani in the city of Kerman. The Wahhabi Daesh terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the atrocity.