Reyhaneh Soltaninejad, nicknamed the girl in the pink jacket,[1] was a two-year-old girl who became a symbol of the 2024 terrorist attacks in Kerman,[2] Iran, which occurred on January 3, 2024, during a memorial event for Qasem Soleimani, leaving more than 103 dead and 284 others injured. Reyhaneh was identified by her distinctive pink jacket and heart-shaped earrings. She was killed along with her mother, Fatemeh Soltaninejad, her brother, Mohammad Amin, and five other family members. According to the Tehran Times, after the incident, a picture circulated on the internet showing a short text inscribed on a small body bag: “Body parts, girl in pink jacket, heart-shaped earrings, probably 2 years old.” An emergency worker had hastily written these words to help identify the victim amid the incident.[3]
On January 3, 2024, a pair of bombings occurred on the road to the Martyrs' Cemetery in Kerman, resulting in the death of at least[4] 103 people[5] and injuring around 284 others. The attacks took place during a memorial event for Qasem Soleimani, held on the fourth anniversary of his death from an American drone strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The first explosion occurred near the grave of Soleimani. Twenty minutes later,[6] a second, even more deadly, explosion occurred after crowds gathered to assist those wounded from the first.[5] Soon after the bombing, the Islamic State claimed responsibility.[6]
Reyhaneh's death
According to one of Reyhaneh's acquaintances, Reyhaneh and several other children were meant to stay at a pavilion while their mothers visited the Martyrs' Cemetery. In the afternoon, after returning, the first explosion occurred some distance away from the pavilion. The children's uncle quickly gathered his wife, his children, his sisters, and their children into a car to drive them home. They went to the parking area where the second explosion happened. Believing it was safe, he left them in the car and returned to help at the first explosion site. The second explosion occurred as his wife, sisters, and children headed towards their car to leave.[1] Reyhaneh was killed along with her mother, her brother, Mohammad Amin, and five other family members.[3]
A picture circulated on the internet after the incident featuring a short text on a small body bag: “Body parts, girl in pink jacket, heart-shaped earrings, probably 2 years old.” The description was hastily written by an emergency worker to help identify the victim amid the incident.[3] Reyhaneh's father, Peyman Soltaninejad, a retired police officer and war veteran,[which?] stated in an interview that his hair turned white due to the tragic incident of losing his wife and children.[1] The author of the sentence on Rehyaneh's bag was a forensic doctor, who, in an interview with Kerman Police Information Center, described a heart-wrenching moment when the bodies of martyrs were brought for identification, evoking tears from everyone present. He stated that among them, a two-year-old girl's lifeless body stood out due to the explosion's intensity, making her identity difficult to ascertain. Marks on her clothes and body became crucial for identification, highlighting the injustice faced by her, akin to the survivors of Karbala. Reflecting on his notes from the identification process, he recalled writing, “A girl with a pink jacket and heart earrings.” [2]
In arts
In January 2025, a painting by Iranian artist Hassan Ruholamin was unveiled[7] at a ceremony attended by Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, and the residents of Qom. The artwork, entitled "The Two-Year-Old Girl with a Pink Jacket and Heart-Shaped Earrings,"[8] depicts the toddler's tragic fate and the loss experienced by her family.[8]
1 2 "جمله دختری با کاپشن صورتی و گوشوارههای قلبی را چه کسی نوشت؟"[Who wrote the sentence "Girl with a pink jacket and heart earrings"?]. Hamshahri Online (in Persian). 9 January 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025. ریحانه یک و نیم ساله که هویتش از روی کاپشن صورتی و گوشوارههای قلبیاش مشخص شد، قلبهای بسیاری را تکان داد و به نماد مظلومیت جنایت تروریستی کرمان تبدیل شد.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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