A file photo of slain Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani
The assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani by the US has only bolstered the terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, Iran’s embassy in New Delhi said on Sunday in a strongly-worded statement in which it also appealed to countries of the region to condemn America’s “terrorist act.”
“All the governments of the region and the world are expected to condemn this terrorist act at the strongest possible terms,” said a late-night communication from Iran’s mission in New Delhi.
The New Delhi mission further expressed its gratitude to individuals and groups in India that had expressed solidarity with Iran in wake of the general's killing.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi avails itself of this opportunity to express its gratitude to all individuals, groups, elites, media outlets, organisations and foreign missions in India who have expressed their sympathy and solidarity with the government and people of Iran and have condemned this terrorist act in different ways and means including sending condolence messages, publication of reports and articles, as well as organization of functions and rallies in various parts of India,” it added.
Several protests by Shia organisations were organised in different parts of the country, most notably in Lucknow and Kargil, in solidarity with Tehran following the killing of Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani in a drone attack in Baghdad on Friday.
"General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandes, Deputy Chief of Popular Mobilisation Committee of Iraq were the two prestigious national heroes and prominent champions of combating against terrorism and extremism in the region, particularly those terrorist groups generated and nurtured by the US Government in Syria and Iraq," said the mission statement.
The Iranian embassy said that both Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandes were involved in combatting terrorism in Iraq and Syria. Mahdi was killed in the same drone strike at Baghdad International Airport that took out Soleimani.
“The presence of General Soleimani as a military advisor in Iraq and Syria was at the invitations by the legitimate governments of Syria and Iraq in order to help their national military and defence forces in countering and combating against terrorist groups including Daesh, Al-Nusra Front, and Al-Qaeda,” said the statement.
Further stating that Iran had so far exercised "strategic restraint" in the face of continued US provocations, the embassy warned in its statement, “All the responsibilities of this criminal act and escalation of tensions in the region rests with the terrorist US government which has to bear all the repercussions of this act.”
The statement by Iran’s New Delhi mission comes just hours after Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed deep concern over the tense situation in the region, after having a telephonic conversation with Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif.
Also watch: Shia Muslims protest in Lucknow against killing of Iranian General Soleimani
