Threat Against New Quds Chief Confirms US State Terrorism

EghtesadOnline: The American envoy’s threat against a top Iranian commander is the United States’ clear announcement of its targeted state terrorism, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

News ID: ۷۸۵۳۰۶

25 January 2020

"After the Zionist regime, the US is now the second government that officially declares that it has used the capacities of its administration and armed forces for terrorist measures and will continue to do so in the future," Abbas Mousavi said on Tuesday, ISNA reported.

The US special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, has recently threatened that the new head of Iran’s Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmaeil Qa'ani, could meet the same fate as his predecessor, Major General Qasem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a US strike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Jan. 3, according to Financial Tribune.

"If Qa'ani follows the same path of killing Americans, then he will meet the same fate," Hook contended in a talk with the Arabic-language daily Asharq al-Awsat.

Soleimani was a key figure in the fight against terrorist groups in the region, particularly in defeating the notorious self-styled Islamic State terrorist group in Iraq.

Following his martyrdom, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at Iraqi locations hosting US forces.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said afterwards that this is only "a slap in the face of the US" and the ultimate revenge would be the complete expulsion of American forces from the region.

After his appointment as head of the Quds Force—a unit in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps that runs overseas operations—Qa'ani had said he would follow the course pursued by his predecessor and that the goal was to drive US forces out of the region.

"This isn't a new threat," Hook said, highlighting US President Donald Trump's regular announcement that he will always respond decisively to protect American interests.

The Iranian spokesman said the US recourse to terrorist actions is a sign of their authorities' "weakness, desperation and confusion".

Mousavi censured such terrorist measures and "shameless" remarks by American officials and called on the international community to condemn the US promotion of state terrorism, because it will befall all countries if this situation continues.