TEHRAN— Assassinating an IRGC colonel in downtown Tehran is not an act that could be neglected; therefore, the Islamic Republic will remind the perpetrators of this crime that “hit and run era is over.”

Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, two motorcycle riders shot and martyred Sayad Khodaei, an IRGC colonel who fought Daesh in Syria, with five bullets in one of the alleys of Mojahedin-e-Islam Street in downtown Tehran. The assassination occurred near the martyr's home. Three of the bullets struck his skull, while the other two struck his hand.

In a message issued late on Monday, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said, “The blind enemies, who have become incapable of confronting the patience, resistance and self-sacrifice of this nation, have resorted to such humiliating actions, which are beyond international and humanitarian standards.”

He underscored that such actions will undoubtedly have no effect on the Iranian people.

Qalibaf continued, “Martyr Sayyad Khodaei, after years of struggle for the ideals of the Revolution and Islamic values, achieved martyrdom to prove that the proud and brave children of the heroic nation of Iran, as always, are ready to sacrifice their goals and aspirations for the Islamic Revolution.”

He stressed that it is necessary for security and intelligence agencies to take the necessary measures to identify and punish the perpetrators of this terrorist act.

The Khodaei assassination once again showed the depth of anger of the enemies of the Iranian nation against the IRGC, which has sincerely provided security for West Asia.

There is little doubt that the assassinations of Iranian scientists and military commanders are due to the failure of U.S., Western and Israeli projects against Iran.

Although these assassinations hurt the people’s feelings, the main goal of the enemies was to completely destroy the Islamic Republic.
 
Many believe that what the West is looking for in Iran is a system that has three characteristics: dictatorship, secularism and dependence to them. 

Undoubtedly, the Israeli regime and its agents who are involved in this terrorist act will definitely be paying a heavy price as their whole existence is faltering.

The role of Iran in keeping the resistance alive in the West Asian region is quite obvious and the issue that has caused the Israelis to resort to such terrorist actions is due to the strength of the resistance movement and Iran's role in beefing it up. At the same time, these mischiefs, apart from crossing Iran’s red lines, is a great violation of the rights of the Iranian nation.

There is no doubt that this assassination will not remain unanswered. 

Iran’s response will not be childish and the Israelis are well-aware of this fact. Iran’s response will be strong and at the right time.

In this regard, Iran’s military chief, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, said, “The assassination of this great martyr is a sign of the vulgarity and humiliation of the false claimants of human rights and their desperate efforts to cover up the disgraceful defeats against the Resistance Front, and certainly it will not go unanswered.”