Published 19:53 IST, January 1st 2021
Iran fires stern warning to US, says Soleimani's killers 'won't be safe on Earth'
Iran’s judiciary chief on January 1 warned US saying that people behind the assassination of Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani will “not be safe on Earth”.
In a rather evident warning to US President Donald Trump, who had directed the airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s judiciary chief on January 1 said that people behind the assassination of Iran’s top general will “not be safe on Earth”. Following the US strike in the first week of 2020 that sent shock waves across Iran, Ebrahim Raisi reportedly said at an event in Tehran, paying tribute to Soleimani that not even the president of United States is “immune” from justice and “severe revenge”. As per reports, Raisi told the gathering at the Tehran University that “What has come so far has only been glimpses”.
"Do not presume that someone, as the president of America, who appeared as a murderer or ordered a murder, may be immune from justice being carried out. Never," he said. "Those who had a role in this in this assassination and crime will not be safe on Earth."
The event was reportedly attended by several Iranian officials and speakers were representatives from other allied states such as Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. Further, a separate event is set to take place reportedly in Soleimani’s hometown where he was buried in Kerman.
The unprecedented killing of IRGC commander General Soleimani on the directives of Trump marked a new low in the already strenuous, US-Iran relations. As the White House and the Pentagon confirmed the death of Iran's powerful military head, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed "harsh vengeance”, the news triggered the concerns of a dramatic escalation of conflict between the two countries, on social media, netizens shared memes to make the light of the situation--making the phrase 'World War 3' trend on Twitter.
Iran 'doesn't seek war' with US
Just recently, Iran has even accused US of attempting to fabricate a reason to attack the Islamic nation and said that Washington is sending B-52 bombers to Tehran instead of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic at home. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on December 31 said that "Donald Trump and his cohorts" are wasting billions to send B-52s and entire fleet to Iran at a time when they should be focusing on fighting the COVID-19 disease in the US. Zarif, citing intelligence from Iraq, said that the US is trying to fabricate a pretext to attack Iran, adding Tehran would defend itself "openly and directly".
Updated 19:51 IST, January 1st 2021