Iran: Biden White House also ‘responsible’ for Soleimani killing

TEHRAN — Iran said Friday the current US administration is also “responsible” for the assassination two years ago of its revered commander Qassem Soleimani, as the Islamic Republic started commemorations to mark his death.

Former US president Donald Trump sent shock waves through the region on January 3, 2020 with the targeted killing of General Soleimani, who was commander of the Quds Force, the foreign operation’s arm of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. The Quds force is designated by the US as a terrorist organization.

Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad ordered by Trump, along with his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, infuriating Iran and its allies.

“The US government bears definitive international responsibility for this crime,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement posted on Twitter to mark the second anniversary of Soleimani’s killing.

“Undoubtedly, the criminal act of the United States in martyring general #Soleimani is a clear manifestation of a ‘terrorist attack’ that was orchestrated and carried out in an organized manner by the then US government for which the White House is now responsible,” it said, in reference to President Joe Biden’s administration.

Five days after Soleimani’s killing, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a US air base in Ain al-Assad housing American troops in Iraq, and another near Arbil in the north.

Statement of the MFA of the IR Iran on the second anniversary of the assassination of Martyr #Soleimani
According to international and legal standards, the US government bears "definitive international responsibility" for this crime.https://t.co/tSPBnILKtN pic.twitter.com/QqcgHONVer

— Iran Foreign Ministry ???????? (@IRIMFA_EN) December 31, 2021

No US troops were killed in those strikes but Washington said dozens suffered traumatic brain injuries from the explosions.

Trump said at the time that the drone strike came in response to a wave of attacks on US interests in Iraq, warning he would hold Iran responsible if such assaults continued.

An Iranian woman walks past a large poster of slain top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani (R) and senior Hashed commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis ahead of the second anniversary of their death, in the capital Tehran, on December 31, 2021 (AFP)

The foreign ministry’s statement came as Iran prepared Friday to launch week-long activities to commemorate Soleimani’s killing.

Authorities said the main event of the remembrance will be held on Monday, without elaborating.

They added that on January 7 a display of “Iran’s missile capabilities” will be held.

Iranian officials have pledged repeatedly that Soleimani will be avenged.

Iranians cross a street, next to a poster of slain top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and slain Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in the capital Tehran on December 28, 2021. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

On the first anniversary of his killing then judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi — who is now Iran’s president — warned that even Trump was not “immune from justice” and that Soleimani’s killers would “not be safe anywhere in the world.”

During the former US president’s term in office, tensions between Washington and Tehran were at an all-time high.

In 2018, Trump walked away from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

A picture taken on December 30, 2021 in Baghdad shows a billboard bearing the image of Iraqi slain Hashed al-Shaabi network commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, being installed in one of the Iraqi capital’s main streets leading to the Green Zone area, ahead of the second anniversary of his assassination along with a top Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ general. (Sabah ARAR / AFP)

The two countries were also on the brink of direct military confrontations on at least two occasions.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this article.