TEHRAN — The Resistance Front will continue its activities until the full expulsion of American soldiers and military men from the region, says a former chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

“Today, the nations of the Resistance Front have come closer together more than ever, and they will do anything to take revenge … and they will continue their activities until the full expulsion of American soldiers and military men from the region,” Mohsen Rezaee said on Tuesday.

Rezaee was referring to a promised revenge for the assassination of IRGC Quds Force Chief Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani by the U.S. military in Iraq.

The United States assassinated Soleimani, Iran’s top anti-terror commander, and his comrades-in-arms in an airstrike in Baghdad on January 3.

The U.S. airstrike also martyred Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the anti-terrorist Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

Soleimani is recognized internationally as a legendary commander in the battle against terrorist groups, especially Daesh (ISIS). He commanded forces who resisted ISIS which was advancing toward the Iraqi Kurdistan and came close to Baghdad.  

Officials in Tehran and independent generals in the world have said the Soleimani assassination amounts to an act of war against Iran.

On Wednesday morning, Iran carried out the Shahid (Martyr) Soleimani Operation against an American airbase in Iraq with more than ten missiles.

Iran had vowed to take “tough revenge” for Soleimani’s blood.

Rezaee said the martyrdom of Soleimani was like the events of Karbala 14 centuries ago, when Imam Hussein (AS), the third Imam of Shia Muslims and the grandson of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), was martyred.

Those who had pledged allegiance to Imam Hussein (AS) from Iraq and Iran were martyred together on January 3, the former IRGC chief remarked.

He said the relations between Iran and Iraq are based on friendly and brotherly ties and Iran does not interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs.

MH/PA