The extremist organization "Islamic State" has announced its responsibility for the explosion in Kerman, Iran. How should this action be interpreted?

The Notorious ISIS

The Islamic State, previously known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), is an organization active in Iraq and Syria, advocating for extreme conservative Islamic fundamentalism and restorationism, belonging to the Sunni branch.

The leader, Baghdadi, who was later eliminated by foreign forces, declared himself Caliph and renamed the territory as “Islamic State”. The group claims sovereignty over the entire Muslim world. However, neighboring Arab states derogatorily refer to it as “Daesh”, meaning to trample or disdain, similar to the colloquial term “douche”.

The organization is currently committed to establishing a theocratic Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant region and is one of the main jihadist groups among the anti-government forces in the Syrian civil war. Moreover, ISIS not only fights the Syrian government forces but also engages in conflicts with other anti-government militias.

Years after the Arab Spring stirred by Western powers in the Middle East in 2010, the Islamic State expanded its influence in the Arab region, involving countries like Libya, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.

A notorious activity of ISIS is the beheading of captives, including journalists and civilians, and spreading the videos online. In February 2015, the Japanese hostage Kenji Goto was beheaded. In 2014, several British hostages were captured, and most were beheaded and broadcasted, leading to a grim situation of a “queue for beheading”.

The international community, including the United Nations, has designated ISIS as a terrorist organization due to these heinous acts.

In February 2014, due to the extreme and brutal nature of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, Al-Qaeda severed all ties with it.

Post-2017, with the military intervention of Russia in the Syrian civil war and the influx of pan-Shiite forces represented by Iran into the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State faced significant defeats. By November 17, 2017, the Iraqi government forces captured Rawa, the last military stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq.

However, remnants of the Islamic State still lurk in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and other countries.

The funding of ISIS mainly came from oil revenue within its controlled territories. After the United Nations prohibited oil trade with ISIS and targeted bombings by the United States, its financial resources shifted primarily to relying on Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia.

There have been analyses suggesting clandestine support for the Islamic State by Gulf countries and Turkey to curb Shiite expansion. Interestingly, rumors circulated in 2015 about the U.S. military airdropping weapons and supplies to ISIS.

The persistence of ISIS suggests not only a need for an enemy in the Middle East for continuous military funding but also a counterbalance to Iran by supporting Sunni factions.

After being scattered, ISIS fragments into smaller factions either to be eliminated or to continue underground activities with support from the U.S. and Israel.

ISIS is a group of Sunni extremists, and they are such a formidable presence that even Al-Qaeda, also Sunni, finds them perplexing. It’s not surprising they engage in such activities… For them, targeting Shiite groups is nothing out of the ordinary, these individuals… No, they should not be called humans, these beasts targeting Sunnis would not even be surprising.

Summary of ISIS Claims and Regional Impact

“Islamic State” not only claimed responsibility for the attacks but also denigrated the Shiites as heretics in their statements, criticizing Palestinian factions for allying with the Iranian “heretics.” They accused Iranians of merely using Palestinians for their own ends. The Iranian officials did not acknowledge the “Islamic State’s” claims, but their official media relayed the related reports.

Additionally, according to Iran’s national television relaying reports from the Islamic Republic News Agency, surveillance footage shows that the explosion in Kerman was caused by two suicide bombers, aligning with the “Islamic State’s” statement.

Aaron Zelin, a senior researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an interview that the “Islamic State’s” statement came from their Telegram channel. Although it wasn’t explicitly mentioned which regional branch was involved, he speculated it might have been carried out by the increasingly active “Islamic State” Afghanistan branch.

Zelin noted that the Afghan branch of the “Islamic State” has always viewed Shiites as heretics and a primary target for attacks. In 2017, they plotted attacks on the Iranian Parliament and the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini; in 2022, they claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shiite holy site that killed 15 people.

Due to the Taliban’s crackdown, the “Islamic State” Afghanistan branch is fleeing the country and spreading to nations like Iran and Pakistan, orchestrating new attacks in these regions.

For these jihadists, scorned by various Islamic nations, Islamic rulers, and Western governments, are all enemies. There’s no grand alliance against the West as some might imagine. In fact, because of the intensified counterterrorism efforts in Western countries, Islamic countries have become somewhat easier targets, warranting more attacks from these extremists.

Scattered, scattered, it turns out it’s the IS vs. Persian Cat showdown in the world of black-on-black. Since it’s a battle between religious sects, unrelated coffee enthusiasts can just watch the excitement without getting involved in other people’s affairs. It’s best to stay far away when the gods are fighting.

Iran is Shiite, ISIS is Sunni

Iran actively participated in the eradication of ISIS back in 2017.

ISIS has been attacking Iran for years with both motivation and capability.

It seems that even ISIS is puzzled. I’ve been tirelessly trying to make a big news, but once I’ve achieved it, why didn’t you all think about me?

Speaking of which, why was ISIS ignored?

P.S.: After admitting it, ISIS started calling on all Muslims to kill Jews and Christians.

No wonder Iran cooperated with the United States to wipe out ISIS back then. This is nothing but a chaotic calamity…

There’s a kind of lack of common sense in beauty.

The Curious Relationship Between Israel and ISIS

It’s hard not to recall, three months ago, when Hamas attacked Israel, many “Zhihu netizens” made the absurd claim of equating East Turkestan (Xinjiang) with Hamas, citing their shared Muslim identity.

What they didn’t know is that East Turkestan openly supports Israel.

Similarly, ISIS is the only force in the region that has contact with Israel but has not clashed with it. On the contrary, there have been hints of a connection between Israel and ISIS, leaving the nature of their relationship to one’s imagination.

• August 23, 2016: An Israeli think tank says, “Don’t eliminate ISIS”; it’s a useful tool against Iran, Hezbollah, and Syria.

• June 21, 2016: Israeli Intelligence Chief states, “We don’t want ISIS to be defeated in Syria.”

• January 19, 2016: Israeli Defense Minister says, “I prefer ISIS over Iran in Syria.”

• December 7, 2014: United Nations report reveals regular contact between Israel and Syrian rebels, including ISIS.

Implications of the Attack and the History of US Involvement

The United States may have a point here.

It appears that Israel wasn’t behind this attack…

Chances are it was directly orchestrated by the United States, through the Islamic State…

This Islamic State seems to have elements reminiscent of Al-Qaeda 2.0.

Al-Qaeda, back in the day, was nurtured by the United States.

In order to counter the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the US supported a large number of Islamic extremist armed groups, and Al-Qaeda was one of them.

As a result, the Soviets were driven out, and these Islamic armed groups, after some contemplation, figured out that you, the United States, were the real troublemakers in the Arab world.

And that’s how 9/11 happened.

Now, this Islamic State is the new generation of extremist organizations supported and utilized by the United States.

Who knows, in the end, they might end up following in the footsteps of Osama bin Laden…

The top cylinder is here.

Israel is getting impatient: You say you did it, it’s your doing?

After cursing the Islamic State, Israel glanced at his son, a timid fellow! Say, did you instruct him to say that? Can’t you be a bit tougher? Aren’t you supposed to be invincible, having fought several battles in the Middle East? Why is it so difficult for you to help your dad grab some territory this time? What’s Iran anyway? Look at your bear-like appearance, and you even withdrew the USS Ford aircraft carrier? Is that all you’ve got?

You’re not going, huh?

You just wait for me.

This matter is not up to you!

The Complex World of International Affairs

Yesterday, I mentioned that it was unlikely that Israel or the United States was behind this incident. I advised everyone to wait for more information before jumping to conclusions. Later, high-ranking officials from Iran urged restraint and asked for time to investigate the truth. However, now someone has claimed responsibility for the incident themselves, which is quite amusing.

I am curious about those who were so confident before, claiming as if they had seen it with their own eyes that it was the work of the United States or Israel. Are they reconsidering their opinions now? Do they want to retract their praise and delete their comments? Can we really blame the Islamic State on the United States as well? That would be quite a revelation. Moreover, there are plausible motives for various parties involved in this incident. How do you all explain this?

I must be candid; the waters of international affairs are incredibly deep. If you can’t handle it, it’s better not to dive into this river. Many internet users may not have a background in specialized fields like international relations or economics and may not have read many relevant books. Their English proficiency may not be sufficient to read primary sources and materials, so they rely on others for translations and interpretations. Most may not have had the opportunity to travel abroad and see the world firsthand or develop critical thinking skills. How can they confidently make conclusions about matters that even experts hesitate to judge?

It’s essential to learn how to approach these complex issues rationally and sensibly. Instead of blindly following others, try to understand the bigger picture. Some individuals seem to have made a habit of getting things wrong, even though they have experienced their fair share of setbacks. They persist in stirring the pot, and their followers continue to watch. It’s quite intriguing.

In the realm of internet debates, some people’s judgment has become as unreliable as the infamous Carlos from the T family. However, unlike asking Carlos questions and having to guess which statement is true, internet users and enthusiasts simply need to recognize the familiar faces and IDs. They don’t need to listen or consider information; they can just rely on preconceived notions. Predicting and analyzing everything correctly is, in a way, a talent, isn’t it?

Is it true that the “Islamic State” (ISIS) went all over the Middle East but never attacked Israel?

ISIS has committed such horrific acts, even al-Qaeda finds them ruthless, and major Middle Eastern terrorist organizations distance themselves from them. They are the most extreme Muslim group.

However, they don’t touch the Jewish state, which is hated even by the most moderate Muslims. Isn’t that surprising?

Iran Officially Announces Series of Explosions in Kerman City, Resulting in 95 Deaths

The news, announced by Iran, seems quite conclusive. Now you understand the extent of the extremism; they even target their own people, making even al-Qaeda wary.

It’s no wonder that Middle Eastern countries keep their distance. After being neighbors for decades, it seems even fanatics understand them better than their own rulers.

I’m currently reading the compilation, wondering how these extremists will justify their actions or turn the blame around.

In the end, it’s all about manipulating emotions, gaining likes, and attracting traffic. Blaming the United States for everything seems to be the easy way out.

Any guesses if the Houthi and Taliban will evolve into something like ISIS?

Evil still requires evil to sharpen itself, enjoy some sunflower seeds and popcorn while watching the brawl between reptiles with a smile.

ISIS Official Announcement ≠ Official Announcement by Israel and the United States?

ISIS was created by the United States, following the organizational structure of Al-Qaeda. It can be seen as a white-glove operation similar to the early positioning of Al-Qaeda. This point should be considered common knowledge.

@Commentary Captain Sleek Dog

Either it’s really him who did it,

Or he’s anxious to be pulled out and take the blame.

It’s time to learn English.

Hope you can condemn this “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” behavior.

Previously, it was unclear whether Israel and ISIS were just rumors, but now it’s almost confirmed.

So, you see, religious issues are not the real problem at all.