SYRIA on Friday condemned ‘the US criminal aggression’ which Qassemled to the martyrdom of the leader of al-Quds Failaq, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani and Deputy Chairman of Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a number of the mobilisation’s cadres, expressing complete solidarity with Iraq and Iran.
An official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry told SANA in a statement that the Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the US criminal aggression which led to the martyrdom of leader of al-Quds Failaq, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, and Deputy Chairman of Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a number of the mobilisation’s cadres as a dangerous escalation of the situation in the region.
The source added that this treacherous aggression lives up to the levels of criminal gangs, reiterating the US responsibility towards the instability status that Iraq is witnessing in the framework of US policies which aim at creating tensions and fuelling conflicts in the countries of the region aiming at dominating them and empowering the Zionist entity to control the region.
The source underlined that Syria expresses its complete sympathy and solidarity with the brotherly Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The source asserted that Syria is confident that this US cowardly aggression which led to the martyrdom of a number of elite resistance leaders will lead to further determination to continue their approach in facing any US interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region and to defending their national interests in facing the absurd policy of the US which poses a serious threat to the security, peace and stability in the region and the whole world.
There were huge demonstrations in Iran on Friday in condemnation of the US aggression which led to the assassination of the leader of al-Quds Failaq Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and deputy chairman of Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ali Khamenei, vowed a harsh and severe revenge for the crime of assassinating of the leader of al-Quds Failaq Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, due to the US forces air aggression in Baghdad.
Iranian Tasnim news agency quoted Khamenei as saying in a statement on Friday that the Jihad approach in the resistance will continue and the resistance will resolutely triumph, expressing condolences to the families of the martyr Soleimani.
For his part, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined that the martyrdom of the leader of al-Quds Failaq Lt. General Qasem Soleimani will bolster Iran’s steadfastness in facing the US greed, pointing out that the Iranian people and the free peoples will take revenge for this heinous crime of the US criminal administration.
In a cable of condolences on the martyrdom of Soleimani, Rouhani reiterated that the US barbaric aggression which led to the martyrdom of Lt. General Soleimani is an indicator on Washington weakness in the region, asserting that this aggression violates all the humanitarian principles and rules and the international law.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in turn, said, following the martyrdom of Lt. General Soleimani due to the air aggression of the US forces in Baghdad, that Washington is responsible for all the repercussions of its reckless and vicious adventure.
IRNA news agency quoted Zarif as saying that the act of international terrorism carried out by the US targeting Iranian Lt. General Soleimani, is considered as a very dangerous and foolish escalation, holding the US responsible for all the consequences of its vicious adventure.
In a relevant context, the US Pentagon acknowledged the aggression and indicated in a statement that Lt. General Soleimani was targeted upon the directives of US President Donald Trump.
The speaker of the Iranian Shura Council Ali Larijani stressed that the Iranian people will resolutely respond to the crime of the assassination of Lt. General Soleimani, asserting that the US arrogant system will not be able to undermine the firm determination of the heroic jihadists.
Iraqi official TV announced on Friday the martyrdom of Deputy Chairman of Popular Mobilisation commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian Lt. General Qasem Soleimani in a US air aggression that targeted their car on Baghdad airport road.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi strongly condemned the US criminal aggression which led to the assassination of Deputy Chairman of Popular Mobilisation Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and leader of al-Quds Failaq, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, asserting that the US crime is an aggression on Iraq and a flagrant violation of its sovereignty.
In a statement on Friday, Abdul Mahdi said that ‘we strongly condemn and denounce the US administration assassination of the two martyrs Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qasem Soleimani and other cadres’.
He added that the assassination of a high-ranking Iraqi military commander is considered an aggression on Iraq as a state, government and people, asserting that carrying out assassination operations against the Iraqi leadership and others from a brotherly country in Iraq is considered as a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation which ignites a destructive war in Iraq, the region and the world.
Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed that the just retribution of the killers of leader of al-Quds Failaq Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani is the responsibility of all the resistance fighters throughout the world, asserting that the US killers will not achieve any of their goals by their crime.
In a statement on Friday, Nasrallah said that the resistance axis will continue its road and it will achieve all its victories in all fields and fronts.
He pointed out that the martyrdom of deputy chairman of Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis will motivate the Iraqi people and the factions of resistance to continue the march to achieve their goals in an independent and prosperous Iraq free from occupation and terrorism.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the assassination of leader of al-Quds Failaq, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani is a ‘reckless move’ by the US administration which will lead to escalating tension in the whole region.
Russia Today quoted a source at the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement on Friday that Soleimani was sincerely serving the issue of defending Iran’s national interests, expressing condolences to the Iranian people.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted: ‘Washington is not interested in the world’s response but in changing the balance of power in the region.’
The United States first carried out a missile strike against Baghdad airport and only then requested the UN Security Council’s assessment of the attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. This is the height of cynicism, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Friday.
‘It turns out that a missile strike was carried out first – an act that is out of sync with international law was committed. And only then did the Americans request the assessment of the events involving the US Embassy. This is probably the height of cynicism, you know,’ she said.
Zakharova noted that it was the UN Security Council’s purview to make a legal assessment of attacks on countries’ embassies, adding that Washington had not requested an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting on the issue.
She thinks that the US missile strike in Baghdad will only result in escalating tensions in the region, while Washington itself is only interested in changing the balance of power in the Middle East.
‘To condemn attacks on their embassies, states go to the UN Security Council submitting draft statements. Washington did not appeal to the Security Council, which means that it is not interested in the world’s response and that it is interested in changing the balance of power in the region.
‘That will not result in anything but escalating tensions in the region, which will be sure to affect millions of people,’ she wrote on her Facebook page.
The diplomat noted that, over the past few years, the US has repeatedly blocked UN Security Council’s statements condemning attacks on other countries’ embassies. ‘There are quite a few examples,’ she stressed.
Russia does not rule out the US Baghdad airport strike will be discussed by the UN Security Council, Zakharova noted on Friday. ‘Of course, I believe the issue will be discussed in New York today. I think work on the format will be in progress,’ she said.
The diplomat was certain that the issue would be addressed by international organisations, individual countries and politicians. ‘And, of course, it will not bypass the United Nations,’ Zakharova added.
