TEHRAN – Iran will hold a national commemorative ceremony on the third anniversary of the assassination of the commander of the IRGC Quds Force.

The ceremony will be held at the Grand Mosalla Mosque of Tehran on January 3.

Hamidreza Moqadamfar is in charge of the popular campaign for the third anniversary of the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. 

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Moqadamfar said the ceremony will include various programs including grassroots campaigns aimed at commemorating the assassination of General Soleimani. 

The programs include recitation of the Holy Quran, reading of General Soleimani’s will, book donation, performing religious prayers, and media activities, he explained. 

Moqadamfar also said the word “soul-sacrificing” has been chosen as the motto for the ceremony. 

“Haj Qassem Soleimani sought to elevate the Islamic revolution and considered Iran a shrine. He considered Iran to be the owner of the holy shrines and he believed that if Iran is damaged, many holy shrines will be damaged,” Moqadamfar said, according to Mehr News. 

He added, “He is always alive. He is a national hero and a hero of the Islamic Ummah and will remain a hero. He has forever become a role model for free-thinking people.”

The official noted, “We need Haj Qassem today because he is both a symbol of Iranian identity and a symbol of Islamic identity and values.”

Moqadamfar said a massive ceremony will also be held in Kerman city, the birthplace of the martyr general. 

“Also, we will have a special ceremony in five provinces where a funeral was held for the holy body of this martyr i.e. Tehran, Qom, Khuzestan, Khorasan Razavi and Kerman provinces,” he explained.

He added that martyr Soleimani was a hero in the fight against terrorism.