If Trump is not brought to justice, Iran will take revenge for Soleimani’s death

DUBAI – President Iran Ebrahim Raisi, speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani by United States of America (US). He said former US President Donald Trump must stand trial for the killing or Tehran would seek revenge.

Iran and groups allied with it in Iraq have held events to honor Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guard’s elite overseas force. He was killed in Iraq in a drone strike on January 3, 2020, ordered by then President Trump.

Read: General Soleimani’s 2nd Haul, These are Iran’s 4 Legal Steps against the US

“If Trump and (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo are not tried in a fair trial for the criminal offense of the assassination of General Soleimani, Muslims will avenge as our martyrs,” Raisi said in a speech on Monday, January 3, 2022, as follows: quoted from Reuters.

“The aggressor, killer and main perpetrator – the president of the United States at the time – must be tried and prosecuted under the (Islamic) law of retaliation, and God’s decree must be carried out against him,” Raisi added.

Under Iran’s Islamic law, a convicted murderer can be executed, unless the victim’s family agrees to take “blood money” through reconciliation.

Read: Commemorating the assassination of Iranian general, Iraqi protesters burn replica of US embassy

“Iranian justice officials have communicated with authorities in nine countries after identifying 127 suspects in the case, including 74 US citizens. The former criminal president (Trump) is at the top of the list,” Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri told state television.

On Sunday, Iran urged the UN Security Council in a letter to hold the US and Israel accountable, which Tehran says were also involved in the killing, according to Iranian media.

Days after the assassination, the US told the UN that the assassination was in self -defense and vowed to take additional action as needed in the Middle East to protect US personnel and interests.

US Attorney General William Barr said Trump clearly had the authority to kill Soleimani and that the general was a “legitimate military target.”

(esn)

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