TEHRAN — Iran’s Judiciary spokesman said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will file lawsuits against U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. government for the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top anti-terror commander, in Iraq earlier this month.

“We intend to file lawsuits in the Islamic Republic, Iraq and The Hauge Court (International Court of Justice) against the military and government of America and against Trump,” Gholamhossein Esmaeili said during a press conference, according to Mehr.

“There is no doubt that the U.S. military has done a terrorist act assassinating Guards Commander Lt. Gen. Soleimani and Second-in-Command of Iraq Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis... and Trump has confessed doing the crime.”

“The firmest reason for accusing an individual is his confession,” he added.

“We will initially file a lawsuit in Iran, which is legal under the Islamic Penal Code,” he said.

The Judiciary spokesman said the huge turnout at Soleimani’s funeral was a big referendum.

“Then we will do the same in Iraq and The Hague Court against Trump and the U.S. military,” he added.

Soleimani and al-Muhandis along with eight others were assassinated at Baghdad’s International Airport on January 3. They were targeted in an airstrike at Trump’s order. 

In the early hours of January 8, the IRGC attacked the U.S. airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq as revenge against the assassination.

In his Tuesday remarks, Esmaeili said the next step in Iran’s tough revenge will be taken as well in order to end the illegitimate presence of the Americans in the region.

“The enemies are after creating crises in the region and in Iran and their main plan and plot is to wage a soft war and create a media frenzy,” he added.

The spokesman also said the huge turnout at Soleimani’s funeral was a big referendum.

Millions of mourners took to the streets in Ahwaz, Mashhad, Tehran, Qom, and Kerman - Soleimani’s hometown - to attend the top general’s funeral procession.

Addressing the mourners in Kerman, where Soleimani was buried, Major General Hossein Salami, chief of the IRGC, condemned the U.S. military’s “cowardly” assassination.

“I start with the last word. We will take revenge. Our revenge will be harsh, decisive and finishing. Stay assured and calm,” the IRGC chief said. 

“The general’s martyrdom is a starting point for an early end to America’s presence in the Muslim world. I declare that you will see this happen very soon,” he added.

MH/PA