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Iranians demonstrate in support of slain military commander Iranians demonstrate in support of slain military commander
(about 1 hour later)
ISTANBUL — Tens of thousands of Iranians demonstrated Friday in the capital, Tehran, and other cities in support of a senior Revolutionary Guard Corps commander killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq, even as many privately expressed worry about the escalating conflict with the United States.ISTANBUL — Tens of thousands of Iranians demonstrated Friday in the capital, Tehran, and other cities in support of a senior Revolutionary Guard Corps commander killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq, even as many privately expressed worry about the escalating conflict with the United States.
Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force and Iran’s most powerful military leader, was targeted by U.S. aircraft early Friday as he traveled in a two-car convoy with senior Iraqi militia leaders near the Baghdad airport. Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force and Iran’s most powerful military leader, was targeted by U.S. aircraft early Friday as he traveled in a two-car convoy with senior Iraqi militia leaders near the Baghdad airport.
U.S. officials had accused Soleimani of orchestrating a series of rocket attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, including a strike last month that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several American troops.U.S. officials had accused Soleimani of orchestrating a series of rocket attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, including a strike last month that killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several American troops.
Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, vowed Friday to avenge the killing, calling it a “grave miscalculation” and a “heinous crime.”Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, vowed Friday to avenge the killing, calling it a “grave miscalculation” and a “heinous crime.”
The targeted killing of Soleimani has “caused great grief and sorrow” and has “doubled the resolve of the great Iranian nation . . . to stand up against the United States,” President Hassan Rouhani said. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a statement threatening retaliation for the strike, saying it had taken “appropriate decisions” that would hold the United States responsible for “all of the consequences of this strategic mistake.”
“This cowardly and vicious act is another sign of the United States’ frustration and helplessness in the region,” he said. “Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime.” “Severe revenge awaits the criminals who smeared their dirty hands with the pure blood of Gen. Soleimani,” the statement said. “These cowardly acts will boost the will of the Islamic Republic to be more active in its resistance and to bring a swift defeat” to the enemy.
In Kerman in southeastern Iran, where Soleimani was born, a massive procession of black-clad mourners filled the streets and chanted religious slogans, according to footage broadcast on Iranian news channels. Earlier Friday, President Hassan Rouhani said that the targeted killing of Soleimani “doubled the resolve of the great Iranian nation … to stand up against the United States.
In Tehran, demonstrators called on the Quds Force to take revenge. “Iran will take revenge for this heinous crime” he said.
The government announced a day of public mourning. In Kerman in southeastern Iran, where Soleimani was born, a massive procession of black-clad mourners filled the streets and chanted religious slogans, according to footage broadcast on Iranian news channels.
In Tehran, demonstrators who rallied after Friday prayers called on the Quds Force to take revenge.
“Soleimani’s blood spilled, the nation’s outrage against the enemy sparked!” the protesters chanted in a video broadcast by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.“Soleimani’s blood spilled, the nation’s outrage against the enemy sparked!” the protesters chanted in a video broadcast by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.
A senior Shiite cleric, Ahmad Khatami, said the commander’s death was “a cause for Muslims to be more united than ever.” A senior Shiite cleric, Ahmad Khatami, said Soleimani’s killing was “a cause for Muslims to be more united than ever.”
A Revolutionary Guard spokesman, Ramadan Sharif, said the force would be “starting a new chapter” following the deadly U.S. strike. A Revolutionary Guard spokesman, Ramadan Sharif, said the force would be “starting a new chapter” after the deadly U.S. strike.
As he spoke to a reporter from Iranian state television, Sharif broke down in tears.As he spoke to a reporter from Iranian state television, Sharif broke down in tears.
“The momentary happiness experienced by the Americans will soon turn into mourning,” he said.“The momentary happiness experienced by the Americans will soon turn into mourning,” he said.
But across Iran, residents expressed worry over the potential fallout from the strike, which threatened to plunge Tehran and the United States in a full-blown conflict. Tensions between the two nations have soared since President Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal that Iran struck with world powers, an agreement that curbed Tehran’s atomic energy activities in exchange for sanctions relief. But across Iran, residents also expressed worry over the potential fallout from the strike, which threatened to plunge Tehran and the United States in a full-blown conflict. Tensions between the two nations have soared since President Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal that Iran struck with world powers, an agreement that curbed Tehran’s atomic energy activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
“My family is concerned and sad. Soleimani had many fans in Iran, not only among the supporters of the Islamic Republic,” said Maryam, 35, a resident of Tehran. Like other Iranians contacted Friday, she declined to give her full name so she could speak freely about the death of a senior military commander.“My family is concerned and sad. Soleimani had many fans in Iran, not only among the supporters of the Islamic Republic,” said Maryam, 35, a resident of Tehran. Like other Iranians contacted Friday, she declined to give her full name so she could speak freely about the death of a senior military commander.
“There were people who were attracted to his charisma and considered him to be more clean than other Iranian officials,” she said. “There are rallies in different cities now . . . and I think that there will be more.” “There were people who were attracted to his charisma and considered him to be more clean than other Iranian officials,” she said. “There are rallies in different cities now … and I think that there will be more.”
In a statement Friday, Khamenei announced the appointment of Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghani as the new Quds Force commander, saying that the organization’s strategy will remain the same. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Ghani in 2012 for what it said was his role in distributing weapons and funds to Iranian allies in the region.In a statement Friday, Khamenei announced the appointment of Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghani as the new Quds Force commander, saying that the organization’s strategy will remain the same. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Ghani in 2012 for what it said was his role in distributing weapons and funds to Iranian allies in the region.
Soleimani, 62, oversaw the proliferation of allied proxy forces across the Middle East, including in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. He was often seen on the battlefield in both Iraq and Syria as he directed Iranian-backed Shiite militias in their fight against the Islamic State, and his military success against the Sunni militants made him widely popular inside Iran. Soleimani, 62, oversaw the proliferation of allied proxy forces across the Middle East, including in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. He was often seen on the battlefield in both Iraq and Syria as he directed Iranian-backed Shiite militias in their fight against the Islamic State, and his military success against the Sunni militants initially made him widely popular inside Iran.
“Everyone is worried. The people I spoke with weren’t sad but shocked,” said Nazli, 40, from the northern city of Rasht. In recent years, however, as Iran’s economy faltered under U.S. sanctions, Iranians began openly criticizing Tehran’s costly military adventures abroad.
“On social media, some people I thought didn’t support the regime are now expressing sorrow for his death,” she said. “Everyone is worried. The people I spoke with weren’t sad but shocked,” said Nazli, 40, from the northern city of Rasht. “On social media, some people I thought didn’t support the regime are now expressing sorrow for his death.”
The Iranian Embassy in Iraq said Friday that Soleimani’s body would be carried in a procession to the two holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf in Iraq before returning to Iran, according to the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency. Iranian news outlets reported Friday that Soleimani’s body would be carried in a procession to the two holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf in Iraq before returning to Iran for burial.
“There are three groups of people in Iran now: those who are happy, those who are worried about security and the economy . . . and those who are sad,” said Davoud, a resident of the city of Mashhad. “There are three groups of people in Iran now: those who are happy, those who are worried about security and the economy … and those who are sad,” said Davoud, a resident of the city of Mashhad.
He said some residents are scrambling to buy U.S. dollars and gold to stave off further economic repercussions. Iran’s economy has been battered by a near-total U.S. embargo that has targeted everything from oil exports to banking transactions and the Iranian aviation and automotive sectors.He said some residents are scrambling to buy U.S. dollars and gold to stave off further economic repercussions. Iran’s economy has been battered by a near-total U.S. embargo that has targeted everything from oil exports to banking transactions and the Iranian aviation and automotive sectors.
In November, protests gripped Iranian cities following a government decision to reduce fuel subsidies for consumers. Authorities cracked down hard on demonstrators, killing at least 200 people, according to rights group Amnesty International. In November, protests gripped Iranian cities after a government decision to reduce fuel subsidies for consumers. Authorities cracked down hard on demonstrators, killing at least 200 people, according to rights group Amnesty International.
Davoud said that before the unrest, Iranians likely would have turned out in much larger numbers to support the government in the event of a U.S. strike. Davoud said that before the unrest, Iranians probably would have turned out in much larger numbers to support the government in the event of a U.S. strike.
“But now, they don’t have the support of the people to be able to mobilize them,” he said of Iran’s leaders.“But now, they don’t have the support of the people to be able to mobilize them,” he said of Iran’s leaders.
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