On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed retaliation against the United States as the first anniversary of the assassination of top commander looms, amid continued tension with President Donald Trump's administration in its final weeks.
During his cabinet meeting, Rouhani said that the assassination of Soleimani was a brutal crime committed by the US President, Donald Trump, and his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.
He added that they are preparing to mark the anniversary as regime leaders continue to vow revenge against the U.S. Iranian forces responded to the strike in January with ballistic missile attacks on Iraqi military bases housing American troops, wounding more than 100. But Iranian officials have promised more retaliation.
President Rouhani told reporters Wednesday the assassination had turned Soleimani from a "national hero" to an "eternal hero."
U.S.-Iran tensions are already running high, as they have for much of Trump's presidency. Trump lost the presidential election and will leave office next month, but during the transition period has placed ever-harsher sanctions on Iran and warned he will respond aggressively to any Iranian aggression.
On January 3, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered drone strikes that martyred General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Iraq. The assassination, which took place near Baghdad’s international airport, was welcomed by ISIS.
The U.S. cited at the time an imminent threat posed by Soleimani against U.S. interests in the region. General Soleimani, however, was on a peace mission to Iraq that was targeted by the U.S. military.
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