Iran to Punish Killers of Gen. Soleimani Sooner or Later: Judiciary Chief


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Judiciary Chief Hojatoleslam Seyed Ebrahim Raeisi said the Islamic Republic’s officials will meet the killers of Lt. Gen Qassem Soleimani to bring them to justice.

Addressing a meeting of the Judiciary’s Supreme Council in Tehran on Monday, Raeisi pointed to the effects of the martyrdom of Lt. Gen. Soleimani on the latest regional events and said the martyr’s blood has encouraged freedom-seeking nations to stand against oppression.

“God willing, the legal and judicial issues regarding this crime will be pursued,” he said, adding, “In talks with the president of the Supreme Court of Iraq, it became clear that they have a great motivation to pursue this.”

“We will also follow up on (the issue) through international circles,” the Judiciary chief went on to say.

“Sooner or later we will meet the killers of Hajj Qassem not for negotiation but for trial and punishment,” the official stated.

General Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha'abi (PMU), and a number of their entourage were killed in a strike by American drones near Baghdad International Airport on Friday, January 3.

The White House and the Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of General Soleimani in Iraq, saying the attack was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.

In the early hours of January 8, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Iraq in retaliation for the US move.