Iran's top leaders paying respects to Qasem Soleimani's coffin in January 2020
Iran says Qasem Soleimani was assassinated with the direct order of former US president Donald Trump, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a tweet on Wednesdaythat the killing of the IRGC’s Qods (Quds) force commander was an epitome of “state terrorism”.
As the country is getting ready to hold ceremonies for the second anniversary of Soleimani’s killing threats and rhetoric by Iranian officials have increased. Iran Is planning a long list of events lasting ten days to mark Soleimani’s “martyrdom”. He was killed by a US drone strike on January 3, 2020, as he arrived in Baghdad.
Last week, the head of Iran’s Judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, renewed vows to avenge Soleimani’s killing, saying that it will definitely happen, and it will be harsh.
A lot of high-ranking Iranian military personnel and political figures, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have promised revenge for the Soleimani's targeted killing.
“They must know that whenever possible, at the appropriate time, they must face revenge”, Khamenei said some two weeks before the first anniversary of his killing.
Iran has listed a host of US and Israeli officials as responsible for carrying out the attack.