The criminals who have the blood of General Soleimani and other martyrs of the Thursday night attack on their hands must await a vigorous revenge, said Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Caravan News
NEW DELHI — The top Iranian Commander, General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) elite Quds Force, and architect of its regional security apparatus, has been killed following a US air raid at Baghdad’s international airport on Friday.
According to White House and Pentagon sources the attack was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump and was aimed at deterring future attacks allegedly being planned by Iran, Al Jazeera reports.
The sad news of the death of Qassem Soleimani has sent shock waves throughout the region and Iran has declared a three-day national mourning in the country in honour of Soleimani.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei paid tribute to him as a “martyr”, and vowed a “vigorous revenge is waiting for the criminals.”
According to Tehran-based Press TV, Ali Khamenei in a statement said, the “cruelest people on earth” assassinated the “honourable” commander who “courageously fought for year against the evils and bandits of the world.”
Also read:
- US Military Strikes in Iraq Stir Regional Hornet’s Nest
- US Embassy Attack: Iraqi Protesters Withdraw; US Moves More Troops
“His demise will not stop his mission, but the criminals who have the blood of General Soleimani and other martyrs of the Thursday night attack on their hands must await a vigorous revenge.
“… The continued fight and achievement of the final victory will make life bitterer for the murderers and criminals,” he added.
The Supreme Leader also offered condolences to Soleimani’s family.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also echoed the Supreme Leader’s threat of “revenge”, while Foreign Minister Javad Zarif condemned the killing as an “act of international terrorism.”
Javad Zarif called the US attack as “extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation”.
“The US’ act of international terrorism, targeting and assassinating General Soleimani, the most effective force fighting IS, Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda, is extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation.
“The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism,” he said in a series of tweets.
The US’ act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani—THE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al—is extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation.
The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 3, 2020
Meanwhile, the IRGC also confirmed that Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of the Hashd Shaabi or the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), were killed in the US strike that targeted their vehicle on the Baghdad International Airport road.
Since 1998, Maj Gen Soleimani led Iran’s Quds Force.
(With media inputs)
