Iran’s general replacing Soleimani vows revenge for US killing
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Esmail Ghaani, the Iranian general taking over for Qassem Soleimani, told state television Monday that “actions will be taken” to revenge the death of his predecessor.
Since Soleimani’s killing last week, Iran has issued a series of threats to the U.S.
President Trump has responded by vowing that any Iranian strike would be perhaps met with a "disproportionate" response.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This undated photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, shows Maj. Gen. Esmail Ghaani. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
ROSE MCGOWAN, JOHN CUSACK RESPOND TO KILLING
“God the almighty has promised to get his revenge, and God is the main avenger,” Ghaani said, according to the Associated Press. “Certainly actions will be taken.”
Ghaani, 62, is the new leader of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force. He had served as Soleimani’s deputy commander since 1997 – and the Treasury Department says he has used his power to direct funding toward terrorist groups like Hezbollah.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We promise to continue martyr Soleimani’s path with the same force and the only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region,” he told state radio before Soleimani’s funeral in Tehran, Reuters reported.
Soleimani was killed by a U.S. airstrike early Friday in Baghdad. The killing sparked the biggest international crisis of Trump’s presidency.
Soleimani’s death has been compared to other high-profile killings by the U.S., including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was believed to be the Islamic State mastermind and Usama bin Laden. Trump has insisted that Soleimani was planning attacks against American assets and has blamed him for the deaths of U.S. troops.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Trump told reporters on Air Force One that there will be a “major retaliation” if Tehran strikes. Reuters reported that the president said the U.S. would target 52 Iranian sites “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.”
"They're allowed to kill our people. They're allowed to torture and maim our people. They're allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we're not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn't work that way," Trump said.
Terhan has taken new and aggressive actions. On Sunday, Iranian officials said they will no longer abide by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United States pulled out of the deal in 2018, a decision that had been met with disappointment by allies at the U.N., where the deal was codified.
The U.S. then reinstated waves of sanctions on the regime and has called for other countries to join the U.S as part of what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called a “coalition of responsible nations.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Greg Norman,Talia Kaplan and the Associated Press contributed to this report