Iran to announce results of probe into Martyr Soleimani assassination
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Iran's Foreign Ministry underlines that Tehran will very soon reveal the results of the investigations into Martyr Qassem Soleimani's assassination.
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Lebanese men hold the Quran and portraits of slain martyred Quds Force General Qassem Soleimani, during a rally after Friday prayers in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, Lebanon, July 21, 2023. (AP)
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Monday that it would disclose the results of the investigation into the assassination of the former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps's Quds Force, martyr General Qassem Soleimani, in October.
Several suspects have been identified in connection with the case, and the state is awaiting their conviction by the relevant court, the advisor to Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Ali Kaddkhodai, told Iran's IRNA news agency.
According to Kadkhodai, the international aspect related to the assassination of Soleimani is facing some delays, "due to the nature of the prevailing circumstances in this area of the effort."
The Iranian advisor highlighted that Tehran realized its desired results, which he attributed to the measures taken in cooperation with international consultants.
The assassination
On January 3, 2020, the US carried out a drone strike authorized by former US President Donald Trump targeting a car carrying the commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, General Qassem Soleimani, and his Iraqi trenchmate and the second-in-command of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
The operation oversaw the martyrdom of al-Muhandis, as well. The assassination led to an escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, which pledged to avenge the martyrs.
Martyr Soleimani was on an official visit to Iraq and was in a car with Martyr al-Muhandis at Baghdad's International Airport, when was assassinated by the US shortly after his arrival.
Days after his martyrdom, the anti-terror icon’s body was transferred to Iran and was laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman.
Read next: General Soleimani, the revolutionary, the martyr, the legend
A few days after the crime, Tehran launched missiles at the Ain al-Assad base in Baghdad, one of the largest US bases in Iraq.
Tehran earlier in the year accused the United States and the West of obstructing the follow-up of the assassination case, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that 60 American officials involved in the crime were put on Iran's blacklist.
Amir-Abdollahian revealed that the US had requested during talks in Vienna on the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal that the officials in question be removed from the list.
Iran in January identified 125 suspects and defendants in the assassination, explaining that "in addition to these suspects, there were other countries that had a role in the process."
Message of peace
The Iranian Foreign Ministry revealed in March the content of a message carried by martyr Soleimani during his visit to Baghdad, confirming that it was part of the effort to resolve differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi lauded the late Soleimani as a peacemaker in light of the agreement struck between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries after years of hostility.
During a state visit to China in September 2019, Abdul-Mahdi divulged, that the then-prime minister received a phone call from Soleimani in which the martyred Iranian commander asked him if he could visit Saudi Arabia and act as a mediator between Tehran and Riyadh. "I informed the Chinese side of the martyr's request, and they rejoiced," the article further read.
He also said the Saudis welcomed the proposal after he informed them of Iran's request for mediation and named Soleimani as the Iranian representative.
"General Soleimani was not only a hero in the fight against terrorism and a security builder in the region but also a general and architect of peace, reconciliation, and brotherhood between Islamic nations," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said.
Read next: Arab states welcome rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia
