Iran’s Zarif:

End of ‘Malign US Presence’ in West Asia in Offing

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the assassination of anti-Daesh heroes, including senior Iranian commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani, is the beginning of the end of “malign US presence in West Asia”.

News ID: 79817

Date: 07 January 2020 - 10:47

“What the US has accomplished in its terrorist assassination of anti-ISIS heroes is to unleash global anti-US fury and worldwide rancor—on a scale not seen in recent memory. End of malign US presence in West Asia has begun,” Zarif tweeted on Monday.

General Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha'abi (PMU), and a number of their entourage were killed in a strike by American drones near Baghdad International Airport in the early hours of Friday.

The White House and the Pentagon confirmed the assassination of General Soleimani in Iraq, saying the attack was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.

In a message on Friday morning, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned that harsh revenge awaits the criminals behind the martyrdom of General Soleimani.

Ayatollah Khamenei also reminded all friends and enemies of the Iranian general that the resistance path will continue vigorously, stressing that continued battle and ultimate victory will disappoint the murderers and criminals.

In a second tweet earlier in the day, the top Iranian diplomat said, “While US displays utter contempt for UN Charter & its catastrophic adventurism encourages extremism and terror, tomorrow we'll host Tehran Dialogue Forum & discuss ways of achieving regional security, incl Hormuz Peace Endeavor #HOPE”.

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