[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Following the death of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in a U.S. airstrike, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the United States on the 3rd (local time) that "harsh retaliation awaits."
According to AP News and Bloomberg News, Supreme Leader Khamenei stated in a public statement released through state media on the same day that there would be a three-day public mourning period. This message came after news broke that Commander Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, the previous day.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on the same day that Commander Soleimani died in a U.S. bombing in Iraq. In an urgent statement released that morning, the Revolutionary Guard said, "Our irreplaceable hero, General Soleimani, died following an airstrike by invading U.S. forces and terrorists near Baghdad airport," adding, "Several of his comrades, including commanders of Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraq's pro-Iranian Shia militias), also died in the attack."
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, criticized on Twitter on the 3rd, saying, "The U.S.'s international terrorist act of assassinating General Soleimani is extremely dangerous and foolish," and added, "The U.S. must take full responsibility for the consequences of such rogue adventurism." In a separate statement, he also emphasized that Soleimani's death would further solidify resistance against Iran and Israel.
The Iranian government is acting urgently following Soleimani's death. A spokesperson announced that Iran plans to hold a Supreme National Security Council meeting to investigate the criminal acts surrounding the attack on the vehicle carrying Commander Soleimani in Baghdad.
Earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that, under the direction of President Donald Trump, U.S. forces killed Commander Soleimani. After reports of Soleimani's death, President Trump effectively confirmed it by posting an image of the American flag on his Twitter account without further explanation.
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