RFL/RE – Tens of thousands of mourners have gathered in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz to honor Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force who was killed earlier in the week by a U.S. air strike while traveling in a convoy in neighboring Iraq. State television broadcast live footage of the January 5 ceremonies showing black-clad marchers chanting …

VOA – The body of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike, arrived Sunday in Iran to throngs of mourners, as President Donald Trump threatened to bomb 52 sites in the Islamic Republic if Tehran retaliates by attacking Americans Soleimani’s death Friday in Iraq further heightens tensions between Tehran and Washington after months of trading attacks …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Far from retreating in the face of alleged Russian expansionism, the US has increased the number of its troops in Europe and released military aid to Ukraine, frozen under President Barack Obama. The same caricature is used to censure President Donald Trump for his refusal to enact he so-called Paris Climate Agreement. However, the fact is that none …

Radiofarda – The targeted killing of Qassem Soleimani presents Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with perhaps the biggest test of his career. How will he respond? Will it be just be a demonstrative response and would that be sufficient? In his first official reaction Khamenei promised a harsh revenge. We can take his threat seriously, but will be the consequences? …

Radiofarda – — The United States has designated Asaib Ahl Al-Haq as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), saying the Iraqi militia is a proxy for Iran. Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, during an interview with Reuters in November 2018. The U.S. State Department statement on January 3 said that it was also sanctioning two of the group’s leaders. Secretary of …

Radiofarda – Iraq’s pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi militia claimed early Saturday that an air attack hit one of its convoys north of Baghdad near Taji military base. The news came as Iran and its allies were preparing a show-funeral of Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general killed late on January 2 by a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad airport. Following the targeted …

Radiofarda – Iran’s authoritarian regime is using the extensive funeral ceremonies it has planned for General Soleimani as an opportunity to overshadow the deep wounds its harsh crackdown on protests in November inflicted on the Iranian people and to cast an image of a unified people against “enemies”. The funeral ceremonies planned for General Qassem Soleimani who was killed in …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Supreme Leader has vowed “harsh vengeance” against the U.S. for killing of his most senior commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Iraq late Thursday night but we should probably not expect an immediate direct confrontation on the ground. Khamenei must now decide how to respond to an attack that not only killed his top commander but also shattered the …

Al-Arabia – Iran will punish Americans wherever they are within reach of the Islamic Republic in retaliation for the killing of military commander Qassem Soleimani, Tasnim news agency quoted a senior Revolutionary Guards commander as saying. General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the Guards in the southern province of Kerman, raised the prospect of possible attacks on ships in the …

AL-Arabia – US President Donald Trump said Washington was “ready and prepared” for any response and that he would take whatever action is necessary to protect Americans after the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. https://vid.alarabiya.net/2020/01/03/trumpsoleimani/trumpsoleimani___trumpsoleimani_video.mp4 Trump said recent attacks on US targets in Iraq and assault on US embassy in Baghdad were carried out at Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani’s …