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Daesh main beneficiary of General Soleimani’s assassination: Iran’s Zarif

Sunday, 03 January 2021 4:44 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 28 December 2022 12:32 PM ]

Members of Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah take part in a ceremony under a large poster of Iran’s counterterror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani (R) and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), on January 2, 2021 in the Lebanese city of Baalbeck. (Photo by AFP)

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group was the “only beneficiary” of the cowardly assassination of Iranian legendary counterterrorism commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani by the United States.

In a tweet on Sunday on the first anniversary of general Soleimani’s martyrdom, the Iranian foreign minister said "the terrorist-in-chief" -- a clear allusion to the outgoing US President Donald Trump -- cowardly assassinated the number one enemy of extremist terrorists.

A year ago today, 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 #1 of extremist terrorists was cowardly assassinated by the terrorist-in-chief.

As our region solemnly commemorates his one year passing, a reminder that the only beneficiary of his murder is Daesh (ISIS), which has only increased its activity since. pic.twitter.com/bt8pgDvXar
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 3, 2021

Zarif then pointed to massive ceremonies held across the region to commemorate General Soleimani’s passing, reminding that “the only beneficiary of his (the commander’s) murder is Daesh (ISIS), which has only increased its activity since.”

General Soleimani, who commanded the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), was admired as the Middle East's most influential and charismatic counterterrorism leader. He played a key role in helping Iraq and Syria defeat foreign-backed terrorists, chiefly Daesh, in late 2017.

The top commander was assassinated on January 3, 2020 in a drone strike outside Baghdad International Airport upon a direct order by US President Donald Trump.

His Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) anti-terror force, along with several others were also killed when their convoy was hit.

In a tweet earlier in the day, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again denounced the “unlawful” US assassination of general Soleimani, saying it proved that the United States’ military presence in the West Asia region is destabilizing.

Gen. Soleimani’s assassination proved US presence in region destabilizing: Iran Foreign Ministry

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the unlawful assassination of the country’s anti-terror commander proves that the US military in the region is destabilizing.

“The unlawful assassination of Gen Soleimani was a wake-up call: the US military presence in our region is destabilizing,” the ministry said.

In another tweet on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry censured the United States for committing a “craven act of terror” against General Soleimani, vowing to prosecute the culprits in his assassination.

Iran won't relent until culprits in Gen. Soleimani assassination brought to justice: Foreign Ministry

The US violated international law and the UN Charter in a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said Washington’s terrorist act was carried out in blatant violation of international law, the United Nations Charter and Iraq’s sovereignty.

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