Iran’s Foreign Ministry is ready to continue its cooperation with the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and its new commander Esmail Qaani, Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said Friday.
Zarif extended his congratulations to the new IRGC commander, who was appointed by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei earlier in the day following the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.
The top Iranian diplomat wished the IRGC Quds Force success under the new chief.
In a statement posted on his official website, Ayatollah Khamenei described Brigadier General Qaani as one of the IRGC’s most prominent commanders during the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s imposed war on Iran.
“Following the martyrdom of the glorious General Qasem Soleimani, I name Brigadier General Esmail Qaani as the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps,” the Leader said.
Zarif earlier said the assassination will strengthen the resistance movement across the world.
“The malice and stupidity of the terrorist American forces in assassinating General Soleimani, the hero and commander of fight against terrorism and extremism, will undoubtedly make stronger the tree of resistance in the region and the world,” he said in a statement.
The top diplomat said his ministry will use its political, legal, and international capacities to implement decisions made by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in order to hold the criminal and terrorism regime of the U.S. accountable for this blatant crime.
Zarif had earlier tweeted that “the U.S.’ 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 U.S. bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism,” Zarif warned.
Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami condemned the U.S. “evil act” in assassinating Soleimani and a senior commander of popular anti-terror forces in Iraq.
In a message to his Iraqi counterpart Najah Hassan Ali al-Shammari on Friday, Hatami said the martyrdom of Iranians and Iraqis would certainly strengthen convergence and unity between the two Muslim nations and raise hopes of final victory.
The IRGC Quds Force said in a statement that five Iranians, including Soleimani, and five Iraqis were assassinated in the terrorist attack in Baghdad.
In its statement, the IRGC identified Brigadier General Hussein Jafari-Nia, Colonel Shahroud Mozaffari-Nia, Major Hadi Taromi and Captain Vahid Zamanian as the Iranians martyred along with Gen. Soleimani in the attack.
source: This article/news was published on Friday, 03 January 2020 on the http://kayhan.ir/en/news/74699