US secretary speaks to Pak army chief over the killing of Irani General Qassem Soleimani

After the assassination of the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Qassem Soleimani in the US air raid, US secretary of the state Mike Pompeo has spoken to Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Interestingly, the US secretary chose to speak to Pakistan’s army chief instead of Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi who is the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. This could point out the insignificance of the foreign ministry as against the army which is known to have more powers as against the civilian government in Pakistan.

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The drone attack on Irani General

The recent killing of General Qassem Soleimani along with six others in the US air raid on Baghdad international airport on Friday has reportedly sent shock waves through the Middle East region and has resulted in intensified tensions between the US and Iran. Soleimani led a special forces unit of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. The US maintains that Soleimani was planning an attack on American diplomats and service members in Iraq. Pompeo was quoted by an international daily saying the US government vows to de-escalate tensions between the two nations however it is prepared to respond appropriately if Iran chooses 'the other direction'. 

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Iran vows 'harsh retaliation' 

Citing a Revolutionary Guard statement, Iranian state television said Soleimani was “martyred” in an attack by U.S. helicopters near the airport, without elaborating. Soon after, the advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, said that the US must wait for "repercussions" for crossing the "red line." The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, the officials said. On January 3, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei declared three days of mourning for Soleimani, and, threatened the US saying "a harsh retaliation is waiting."

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