Hawzah News Agency-Ayatollah Ahmad al-Safi, the religious leader’s representative, cited him as making the remarks on Friday, a day after the attack.

The terrorist assault involved a truck bomb that exploded at a gas station in the Shomali Village in the suburbs of al-Hillah, killing at least 73 people, including many Iranians.

The incident occurred as pilgrims were returning from Karbala, where they marked Arbaeen, the 40th day to follow the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (as), the third Shia Imam.

The Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Daesh has been ravaging parts of Iraq in a large-scale terrorist offensive. Iraqi military and volunteer forces are engaged in battles with the terrorist group.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani said the terrorists, who had failed to target the pilgrims during the Arbaeen rituals in Karbala, sought to attack them at a gas station outside of the holy city.

“This act of terror will increase the number of those loving Imam Hussein, and those who committed it will meet their comeuppance on battlegrounds,” he said.

Iraqi security forces had established tight security on the main paths to Karbala and in the city itself during the rituals.

Safi, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation of the Iraqi people’s efforts to help create the safest circumstances possible around the rituals.

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