- As Iran awakes to the news that Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, was killed by the US military, official responses are beginning to appear.
- The Iranian foreign minister called the US move "extremely dangerous," "international terrorism," and a "foolish escalation" while a senior military official vowed that Iran would have its revenge.
- An adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the US had crossed a "red line" and must "be ready to face its consequences."
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Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif sharply criticized the US for killing top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, calling the move "extremely dangerous" and a "foolish escalation."
"The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism," the minister said on Twitter in one of the early official responses as Iranians awaken to the news that the notorious commander of the infamous Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force is dead. Soleimani was a respected figure in Iran who led the elite Quds Force for over two decades and reported only to Iran's supreme leader.
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.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 3, 2020
The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.
In an earlier post on Twitter, senior IRGC official and Iranian politician Mohsen Rezaee wrote: "We will take vigorous revenge on America."
سپهبد شهید #قاسم_سلیمانی به جمع برادران شهیدش پیوست ولی انتقام سختی از امریکا خواهیم گرفت.#انتقام_سخت
— محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) January 3, 2020
The tweets followed an announcement from the Department of Defense that the US military, acting on the orders of President Donald Trump, "has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani."
The US said that Soleimani is directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US service members over the years, as well as more recent attacks on US personnel. The Pentagon said that the general was planning additional attacks that threatened US personnel and interests in the region.
"This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the Pentagon explained.
Following the death of Soleimani, a senior adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued a warning on Telegram, according to the Associated Press. "Trump through his gamble has dragged the US into the most dangerous situation in the region. Whoever put his foot beyond the red line should be ready to face its consequences."
State television, which had canceled broadcasts to focus on the death of the Iranian general, called the US move a major miscalculation, stating that "the people of the region will no longer allow Americans to stay."
The New York Times reports that Iran's National Security Council held an emergency meeting as the IRGC began making funeral arrangements. Iranian proxy forces and militias are reportedly on highest alert.
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