What is really happening in the case of the attack claimed by IS in Kerman? In this article, we will return to the circumstances of this attack and the complex relationship between Iran and the terrorist group.
According to information provided by Wassim Nasr, specialist in jihadist movements at France 24, the attack in Kerman was carried out by two suicide bombers. The first activated his explosive belt, while the second waited twenty minutes before activating his. This tactic is common among ISIS, which seeks to cause maximum damage by attacking first and then targeting help arriving on the scene.
This choice to attack during the commemoration of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani is not insignificant. According to Wassim Nasr, this gathering of the Iranian population was chosen because of the symbolic importance of the event. Qassem Soleimani was a leading figure in Iran and the terror group considers it owes a “blood debt” to him, dating back to when ISIS was active in Iraq and Syria.
It is important to note that this bloody debt between Iran and ISIS extends over several years. The Kerman attack marks the terrorist organization’s fourth attack on Iranian soil since 2017. Previous attacks, claimed by ISIS, took place against the Parliament and the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, a military parade of Revolutionary Guards in Ahvaz, and the Shah Cheragh Mausoleum in Shiraz. These attacks show that Iran is a favored target for ISIS.
But what is the link between this attack in Kerman and the situation in Gaza? According to Wassim Nasr, IS sees this attack as being linked to the ongoing war in Gaza. For the terrorist group, all the wars it wages around the world are interconnected, with Palestine and Gaza occupying a special place in this narrative. The attack in Iran is thus an opportunity for IS to reiterate its animosity towards Hamas, which it describes as apostate, and to emphasize that it is waging a religious war based on dogmas and not on considerations. territorial or geopolitical.
In conclusion, this attack claimed by ISIS in Kerman highlights the complexity of relations between Iran and the terrorist group. These attacks reflect ISIS’s desire to avenge its past by targeting a country it considers an enemy. In addition, they highlight the discourse of the terrorist group, which seeks to create links between different conflicts and to reinforce its dogmatic ideology.