RTSat, 04 Jan 2020 17:35 UTC
© Official President website / Handout / ReutersThe Bavar-373 mobile missile defense system in Tehran, Iran on August 22, 2019.
Iran reserves the right to avenge the US' killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani, with dozens of potential targets already on the list, a senior commander within the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says.
"Vital American targets in the region have been identified by Iran a long time ago," General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, who leads the IRGC in Iran's southern Kerman Province, said on Friday evening, as quoted by Tasnim News Agency. "35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach."
The commander did not name any specific targets but
mentioned that US warships have been operating in the Strait of Hormuz, an important shipping route, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.
Abuhamzeh made the comments after Soleimani, the leader of the IRGC's Quds Force - a special unit tasked with operations abroad - was killed in a US drone strike at a Baghdad airport. He died along with several high-ranking officials from the Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Kerman is Soleimani's home province. He is expected to be buried there on Sunday.
Killing the Quds leader was the "biggest strategic mistake" the US has made in its four decades of standoff with Iran, Abuhamzeh said, promising that Tehran will "exact revenge."
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that Iran "does not seek tensions in the region."
However, "the presence and interference of the foreign and extra-regional forces have caused instability, insecurity and escalation of tensions," Zarif said during a meeting with his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, in Tehran.
Officials in Washington say that Soleimani's death has prevented major terrorist attacks against the US and saved "hundreds" of American lives. US President Donald Trump has gone as far as calling Soleimani the "number one terrorist in the world," ignoring the fact that the general played a key role in the defeat of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) in Syria and Iraq.
Comment: Iran's UN representative also
threatened to take revenge for the assassination:
The killing of Soleimani "by any measure, is an obvious example of State terrorism and, as a criminal act, constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including, in particular, those stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations," Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi wrote in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council on Friday.
...
The envoy followed this up with interviews to NBC and CNN on Friday evening, calling the killing of Soleimani an "act of aggression" and "tantamount to opening a war against Iran."
He confirmed that Iran and the US have exchanged letters through a Swiss intermediary, but told NBC that he thinks the administration of US President Donald Trump "does not believe in dialogue."
The assassination, he told NBC, was "an act of aggression by the United States and we cannot just close our eyes on what happened to a dear general of our armed forces."
There will be harsh revenge. Where? When? How? I do not know, but there definitely there will be some retaliation.
Speaking to CNN, Ravanchi only elaborated that "the response for a military action is a military action."
Soleimani's death was planned for "quite some time," Ravanchi argued, pointing to a tweet by former Trump adviser John Bolton, a known advocate of regime change in Tehran, as proof.
Soleimani's successor, Esmail Ghaani, also
warned of consequences:
"We tell everyone, be patient, and you will see the bodies of Americans all over the Middle East," Ghaani was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying on Saturday.
Sputnik provides the following
info on Ghaani:
- While announcing Ghaani's new position, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that he would continue the policy of now deceased Soleimani.
- The fact that Ghaani had served as Soleimani's deputy ever since the latter took the lead of Iran's elite force in 1997 only adds to the view that the Quds Force's tactics won't change under its new chief.
- In his previous role, Ghaani was reportedly tasked with overseeing various financial operations related to the Quds Force's operations.
- The new Quds Force leader has also taken a tough stance on the US in the past, cautioning President Donald Trump in 2017 against "any military action against Iran", promising that he would regret it.
- Esmail Ghaani was added to the US Specially Designated Nationals list, used to impose sanctions on those whom Washington regards as terrorists, on 27 March 2012.
- Ghaani served during most of the Iran-Iraq War that lasted between September 1980 and August 1988.
The IRGC's deputy commander potentially revealed details of the communications with the Americans, saying that Washington had asked Tehran for a "
proportional" response to the assassination:
The Americans "resorted to diplomatic measures... on Friday morning", few hours after the strike, the Guard's Rear-Admiral Ali Fadavi said on Iranian state television Friday night. They "even said that if you want to get revenge, get revenge in proportion to what we did", he said, as quoted on the broadcaster's website.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in separate television interview on Friday night that "Switzerland's envoy transmitted a foolish message from the Americans this morning". The Swiss official "was summoned in the evening and received a decisive response in writing... to the Americans' audacious letter," Zarif added.
The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed Saturday that its charge d'affaires had handed over a letter from Washington to the Iranians when he was summoned to the foreign ministry on Friday morning. Switzerland's embassy in Tehran has represented US interests in the Islamic republic since ties were cut in 1980.
Fadavi, meanwhile, said the United States was not in a position "to determine" Iran's response. "The Americans must await severe revenge. This revenge will not be limited to Iran," he said. "The Resistance Front, with a vast geography, is ready to materialize this revenge," he added.
Khamenei said
the following:
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei described Commander of IRGC's Quds Force General Qassem Suleimani as 'worldwide Resistance icon', vowing a 'severe revenge' for the top commander who was martyred by US strike on Baghdad airport early on Friday.
In a message issued Friday, Imam Khamenei said "the cruelest people on earth" assassinated the "honorable" commander who "courageously fought for years against the evils and bandits of the world.
His demise will not stop his mission, but the criminals who have the blood of General Suleimani and other martyrs must await a harsh revenge, the Leader stressed.
"Martyr Suleimani is a worldwide Resistance icon, and all Resistance supporters are now his avengers," Imam Khamenei said.
Hezbollah's leader Nasrallah
honored his "beloved brother" Soleimani's martyrdom, calling him a "courageous and ingenious commander, an unequaled model, compassionate father of all the Resistants and mujahideen (fighters) of our region":
This glorious martyrdom is such an honour! I congratulate him and I am very happy for him for the high rank he achieved with this beautiful death, in the straight line of the school of (Imam) Hussein and (his sister) Zeinab, peace be upon them.
This is the way we see things and this is our position. As for us who stayed after him, we will continue on his way and work day and night to achieve his goals. We will carry his standard in all arenas, on all battlefields and on all fronts. The Axis of Resistance's victories will increase with the blessing of his pure blood, just as these victories have grown with his constant presence, persistence and tireless struggle. It will be the responsibility, the duty and the action of all the Resistance fighters and the mujahideen all over the world to take due revenge on his criminal murderers who are the worst men in this world.
With the grace of God, the American murderers will not be able to achieve any of their objectives with this enormous crime. On the contrary, all the objectives of Hajj Qasem will be achieved due to the greatness of his soul and his blood and by the action of his brothers, his children and his disciples within the Resistance, and the fighters of all peoples of our Community who reject humiliation and submission to the imperialists and tyrants.
Rouhani
called Erdogan to suggest that Iran and Turkey join forces to oppose the U.S.'s actions, adding: "Our silence in response to an aggressive action could lead to further defiance to take more aggressive actions".
See also:
Comment: Iran's UN representative also threatened to take revenge for the assassination: Soleimani's successor, Esmail Ghaani, also warned of consequences: Sputnik provides the following info on Ghaani:
See also: