Iranian FM terms US attack that killed Soleimani as dangerous, foolish
TEHRAN (92 News) – Strongly reacting US attacks that killed the head of Iran’s elite military force Qasem Soleimani, Iranian Foreign Minister (FM) Javad Zarif called the US airstrike an extremely dangerous and foolish escalation.
In his tweet, the Iranian FM said that the US' act of international terrorism, targeting and assassinating General Soleimani, the most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al is extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation.
“The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism,” he tweeted.
Top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the attack, a militia spokesman said. “This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed in a statement that Soleimani was killed. Ahmed al-Assadi, a spokesman for Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). “The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani,” he said.
Strikes had been carried out against two targets linked to Iran in Baghdad on Thursday, US officials earlier told Reuters. Iraqi paramilitary groups said on Friday that three rockets hit Baghdad International Airport, killing five members of Iraqi paramilitary groups and two “guests”.
The rockets landed near the air cargo terminal, burning two vehicles, killing and injuring several people. Local militia commander Abu Muntathar al-Hussaini told Reuters:
“Haj Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were riding in one vehicle when it was struck by two successive guided missiles launched from an American helicopter while they were on their way from the arrivals hall on the road that leads out of Baghdad Airport.”
He said the second vehicle was carrying bodyguards from the PMF and was hit by one rocket. “The American criminals had detailed information on the convoy’s movements.”
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.
The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 3, 2020
Earlier, Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, was killed early on Friday in a US air strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport, the Pentagon said.
