Iran’s huge turnout for Soleimani belies US preposterous claims

From the crack of dawn, an ocean of dedicated mourners of Iran’s Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated on the order of US President Donald Trump in Iraq, along with his companions, including the deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, poured into the streets of the capital, Tehran, to renew allegiance to his venerable cause in the fight against terrorism.

The huge turnout in the Iranian capital also aimed to shatter preposterous speculations by the US administration officials who claimed that Iranians are not “saddened” by the heinous act against their national hero.

The camera lens of Iranian and foreign media outlets were by no means able to capture on Monday the several-million-strong turnout of the funeral procession for the “Commander of Hearts,” who headed the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

A US drone carried out an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport early on Friday, assassinating General Soleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), as well as eight other people.

Both commanders were admired by Muslim nations for eliminating the US-sponsored Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

The huge turnout came as Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo viciously expressed satisfaction with the martyrdom of General Soleimani and claimed that Iranians and Iraqis welcomed the brutal act of assassination, with Pompeo tweeting “Iraqis — Iraqis — dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more.”

The US secretary of state also said in an interview with CNN on Friday morning, “We have every expectation that people not only in Iraq but in Iran will view the American action last night as giving them freedom.”

This while huge crowds of Iraqi mourners gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to pay homage to the top Iranian commander, a testimony to Soleimani's popularity among Iraqis and severe condemnation of the US assassination.

In photos: Funeral held for Gen. Soleimani, his companions

Iraq held a huge funeral procession for Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and his nine other companions who were martyred in a US drone strike in Baghdad Airport on Friday. High-ranking dignitaries attended the funeral cortege. 

Following the massive funeral processions in Iraq, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter to lash out at Pompeo for his groundless claims, calling the US official a “clown masquerading as a diplomat.”

“24 hrs ago, an arrogant clown— masquerading as a diplomat— claimed people were dancing in the cities of Iraq. Today, hundreds of thousands of our proud Iraqi brothers and sisters offered him their response across their soil. End of US malign presence in West Asia has begun,” he wrote.

After the huge turnout of Iranians in General Soleimani’s funeral processions in Tehran, Zarif , this time, directed his rebuke at Trump by asking the US president whether he had “EVER seen such a sea of humanity” in his life.

Millions pack Tehran streets to pay homage to Gen. Soleimani

Millions of Iranians have packed the streets of Tehran to pay homage to General Qassem Soleimani who was assassinated on US President Donald Trump

The Iranian foreign minister swiped at Trump for listening to the “clowns” he took advice from on the region and reiterated, “End of malign US presence in West Asia has begun.”   

The US assassination has drawn a wave of condemnation from officials and movements throughout the world, and triggered huge public protests across the region.

Iran has warned that “harsh revenge" is waiting for the US following the strike that killed the leader of the Quds Force.

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