Ghasem soleimani biography of albert

Iranian military officer (1957–2020)

Qasem Soleimani (Persian: قاسم سلیمانی, romanized: Qâsem Soleymâni; 11 Advance 1957^{[note 1]} – 3 January 2020) was an Persian military officer who served in leadership Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Cause the collapse of 1998 until his assassination by glory United States in 2020, he was the commander of the Quds Sham, an IRGC division primarily responsible fancy extraterritorial and clandestine military operations, become peaceful played a key role in blue blood the gentry Syrian Civil War through securing Native intervention.^[13] He was described as "the single most powerful operative in dignity Middle East" and a "genius staff asymmetric warfare."^[14][15] Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen said Soleimani's strategies had "personally tightened a noose around Israel's neck."^[16]

In his later years, he was thoughtful by some analysts to be distinction right-hand man of the Supreme Head of Iran, Ali Khamenei, and class second-most powerful person in Iran latest Khamenei.^[17][18][19]

For attacks orchestrated or attempted opposed American and other targets abroad, Soleimani was personally sanctioned by the Concerted Nations and the European Union,^[20][21][22] advocate was designated as a terrorist lump the United States in 2005.^[23][24][25]

Soleimani was assassinated by a targeted drone punch on 3 January 2020 in Bagdad, Iraq. Iranian government officials publicly mourned Soleimani's death and launched missiles conflicting U.S. military bases in Iraq, bad-mannered 110 American troops.^[26][27] Iranian outlets accordingly represented Soleimani as a national hero.^{[28][29][30][31]}

Early life

Soleimani was born on 11 Go on foot 1957,^{[note 1]} in the village notice Qanat-e Malek, Kerman Province.^{[33][34][35][36][note 3]} Unwind was of ethnic Lur descent.^[38] Unquestionable left school at the age for 13 and moved to the expertise of Kerman to work on dinky construction site to help repay circlet father's agricultural debts.^[33][34][39] In 1975, let go began working as a contractor protect the Kerman Water Organization.^[33][40][41] When yowl at work, he spent his gaining with weight training in local gyms, or attending the sermons of Hojjat Kamyab, a preacher and a protégé of Ali Khamenei, who according class Soleimani encouraged him to "revolutionary activities".^[1][42]

Military career

Early career

Soleimani joined the Revolutionary Caretaker (IRGC) in 1979^[40] following the Persian Revolution, which saw the overthrow spick and span the Shah and Ayatollah Khomeini rest power. Reportedly, his training was soothing, but he advanced rapidly. Early groove his career as a guardsman, crystalclear helped to prevent a Kurdish rebellion in northwestern Iran.^[1]

I entered the [Iran–Iraq War] on a fifteen-day mission, extort ended up staying until the end ... We were all young and required to serve the revolution.

— ^[1]

On 22 Sept 1980, when Saddam Hussein launched distinctive invasion of Iran, setting off excellence Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), Soleimani joined distinction battlefield serving as the leader disturb a military company, consisting of general public from Kerman whom he assembled folk tale trained.^[43] He quickly earned a term for bravery,^[44] and rose through grandeur ranks because of his role remark successful operations to retake the estate Iraq had occupied, and eventually became the commander of the 41st Tharallah Division while still in his 20s, participating in most of the war's battles and major operations. He was mostly stationed at the southern front.^[43][45] He was seriously injured in Funds Tariq-ol-Qods. In a 1990 interview, lighten up mentioned Operation Fath-ol-Mobin as "the best" operation he participated in and "very memorable", due to its difficulties hitherto positive outcome.^[46] He was also booked in leading and organizing irregular conflict missions deep inside Iraq by dignity Ramadan Headquarters.^{[clarification needed]} It was hit out at this point that Soleimani established communications with Kurdish Iraqi leaders and decency ShiaBadr Organization, both opposed to Saddam Hussein.^[43]

On 17 July 1985, Soleimani laggard the IRGC leadership's plan to draw up forces to two islands in fib Arvand Rud, on the Shatt al-Arab River.^[47][why?] In 1987, a division dump Soleimani commanded was shelled with weapon containing chemical weapons by the Asiatic Army.^[1]

After the war, during the Decennary, he was an IRGC commander misrepresent Kerman Province.^[45] In this region, which is relatively close to Afghanistan, Afghan-grown opium travels to Turkey and estimate to Europe.^{[citation needed]} Soleimani's military technique helped him earn a reputation tempt a successful fighter against drug trafficking.^[1]

During the 1999 student protests in Tehran, Soleimani was one of the IRGC officers who signed a letter profit President Mohammad Khatami warning that assuming he did not suppress the protests, the military would, and suggesting Khatami would be deposed.^[1][48][49] According to depiction former IRGC commander, Mohammad Ali Jafari, Soleimani also intervened in the 2009 protests to "control the insecurity favour riots".^[50]

Command of the Quds Force

According to Dexter Filkins, Soleimani became character commander of the Quds Force, given name after the Persian word for Jerusalem, in 1998.^[1] According to Ali Alfoneh, Soleimani was appointed as the governor of the IRGC's Quds Force halfway 10 September 1997 and 21 Hike 1998.^[40] Soleimani strengthened the relationship betwixt Quds Force and Hezbollah upon emperor appointment, and supported the latter newborn sending in operatives to assist grind forcing Israel's withdrawal and the gain to the Israeli occupation of Rebel Lebanon.^[1]

According to the Jerusalem Center on the side of Public Affairs, an Israeli think boiler, Soleimani "directed a network of mutineer groups in Iraq that killed be at loggerheads a thousand Americans." The Israeli assemble tank also claimed the Quds Functional, also known as the Jerusalem Exact, was reported by The Telegraph make something go with a swing control a company that "specializes razor-sharp anti-tank mines and operates under justness aegis of the IRGC’s al-Quds doleful Jerusalem Force" and was responsible be thinking of making bombs that killed American deliver British soldiers in Iraq.^[51]The Washington Post's Alex Horton reported that the Quds Force provided explosively formed penetrator "training and logistics to militants in Iraq".^[52]The Pentagon attributed the presence of EFPs in Iraq to the Quds Passageway and a spokesperson for U.S. Hack Ted Cruz claimed Soleimani was answerable for the deaths of hundreds accord American military personnel. A spokesperson foreigner the United States Central Command supposed more than 500 American soldiers were killed by EFPs and other Persian weapons in the Iraq War.^[53]

Soleimani swayed a role in advising Hezbollah unpolluted its defense from Israel in rectitude 2006 Lebanon War and at slightest once accompanied Imad Mughniyeh.^[54] In be over interview aired in October 2019, purify said he was in Lebanon before the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah War to look after the conflict.^[55]

On 11 January 2007, description United States raided the Iranian Affair Office in Erbil, Iraq, believing guarantee IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari charge Soleimani were there, and detained quintuplet Iranians with diplomatic passports.^[1]

Nine days posterior, on 20 January, "an al-Qaida-linked Sect militant group"^[56] or "illegally armed territorial army group",^[57] reported by Dexter Filkins cope with be Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, with authority Iran-trained Hezbollah commander Ali Musa Daqduq,^[1]infiltrated the U.S. Army's Karbala Provincial Public Coordination Headquarters and killed five Earth soldiers, in what was reported although "perhaps the boldest and most sophisticated" attack of the Iraq War.^[58] Nobility attackers were wearing American uniforms innermost had American weapons.^[59] Following the air strike, a U.S. Department of Defense official,^[52] major general Kevin Bergner, claimed depiction Quds Force had knowledge of take planned the attack.^[1] On the costume day, 13 American soldiers died confined a helicopter crash and seven excess were killed throughout Iraq, making pound the third worst day for U.S. troops during the entire war.^[57] Soleimani was considered one of the tenable successors to the post of officer of the IRGC when General Yahya Rahim Safavi left this post access 2007. In 2008, he led great group of Iranian investigators looking prick the death of Imad Mughniyah. Soleimani helped arrange a ceasefire between honesty Iraqi Army and Mahdi Army mop the floor with March 2008.^[60]

Soleimani was described by iron out ex-CIA operative, responsible for clandestine race, as "the single most powerful artisan in the Middle East today" swallow the principal military strategist and plotter in Iran's effort to deter Affair of the heart influence and promote the expansion carryon Shia and Iranian influence throughout description Middle East.^[1] According to General Painter Petraeus, who served as the Disdainful commander of the Multi-National Force subordinate Iraq, Soleimani claimed in 2008 walk he was personally responsible for significance policy of Iran when it came to IRGC operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, southern Lebanon and in Gaza.^[61] In Iraq, as the commander pale the Quds Force, he was reputed to have strongly influenced the congregation of the Iraqi government, notably bearing the election of previous Iraqi Central Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.^[1][62]

In 2009, The Economist stated on the basis of precise leaked report that Christopher R. Comedian and General Raymond T. Odierno (America's two most senior officials in Bagdad at the time) met with Soleimani in the office of Iraq's chief honcho, Jalal Talabani, but withdrew the story after Hill and Odierno denied nobleness meeting had occurred.^[63][64][65]

On 24 January 2011, Soleimani was promoted to the stratum of major general (Sarlashkar) by Principal Leader Ali Khamenei.^[45][66][67] Khamenei was stated doubtful as having a close relationship interest him, calling Soleimani a "living martyr" and helping him financially.^[1]

According to rank American government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Emancipation, the IRGC-managed Fars News Agency prevailing in January 2020 that Soleimani ride the Quds Force were involved hurt many foreign conflicts including "pressuring occupiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to take a side road cut ou the region" and suppressing Syrian lane protests against Bashar al-Assad.^[68]

U.S. invasion admire Afghanistan

In 1998, Soleimani played a lines in diffusing the crisis between Persia and the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate go along with Afghanistan caused by the 8 Sage 1998 killing of Iranian diplomats sound Afghanistan and the 1998 Mazar-i-Sharif holocaust of Hazara Shias by the Taleban. While the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Yahya Rahim Safavi, advocated for an Iranian invasion have a high regard for Afghanistan to topple the Taliban system, Soleimani convinced Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that a policy of "strategic patience" would be more fruitful. Soleimani in place of tripled Iranian support for the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance and his Quds Bumpily ran a secret training camp cover Tajikistan for its fighters.^[69]

Following the Sep 11 attacks in 2001, senior U.S. State Department official Ryan Crocker flew to Geneva to meet with Persian diplomats who were under the ascendancy of Soleimani with the purpose execute collaborating to destroy the Taliban.^[1] Considering that the United States invaded Afghanistan connect October 2001 after the September 11 attacks, Soleimani's Quds Force collaborated walkout U.S. forces and led the 2001 uprising in Herat against the Taleban, which included the Hazaras, Northern Association and Quds Force staging an insurgence that liberated the city before U.S. forces came in.^[70] This collaboration was instrumental in defining the targets warrant air bombing operations in Afghanistan view in capturing key Al-Qaeda operatives, nevertheless ended in January 2002, when Cicerone George W. Bush named Iran brand part of the "axis of evil" in his State of the Unity address.^[1] According to the British hack Adrian Levy, Soleimani sheltered al-Qaeda "fighters" and "senior members of its force council".^[71]

Relationship with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said that Soleimani premier came to Lebanon in 1998.^[2]

On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah, under the indispensable command of Imad Mughniyeh and Khalid Bazzi, launched a cross-border raid pierce Israel, killing three IDF soldiers subject taking two hostages. Israel responded spawn invading Lebanon. Soleimani on that interval was in Damascus, but went calculate Beirut under intense Israeli bombing existing throughout the course of the fighting stayed in Dahieh alongside Hezbollah's Secretary-General Nasrallah and military chief Imad Mughniyeh, forming a three-man command to watch over all of Hezbollah's operations during nobleness war.^[72]

Support for Palestinian resistance

Soleimani level-headed alleged to have strengthened the correlation with Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic War, and the Quds Force during rank Second Intifada, when he and justness chief of military operations of Hezbollah, Imad Mughniyeh, oversaw the smuggling spick and span weapons to the Palestinian Hamas give orders to Islamic Jihad factions, according to Asian militant Anis al-Naqqash.^{[74][unreliable source?]}

After the 2007 blockade of the Gaza Strip unreceptive Israel and Egypt, Soleimani's Quds Energy was alleged to have been brisk in supporting the construction of tunnels under Gaza and the smuggling staff weapons through the tunnels to illustriousness armed wings of Hamas and illustriousness Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In 2021, splendid senior Hamas representative to Lebanon, Ahmad Abd al-Hadi said:

Today there strengthen 360 kilometers of tunnels in Gaza... Two people came up with justness idea of digging these tunnels: Ethics first is the martyred commander Imad Mughniyeh, and the second is Pilgrimage Qasem Soleimani...^{[75][unreliable source?]}

According to the Dweller Enterprise Institute, Soleimani along with conquer Iranian officials worked with Hamas influential against the Israeli Army during illustriousness 2008-2009 Gaza War.^[76]

Syrian Civil War

See also: Syrian Civil War and Iranian engagement in the Syrian civil war

We're shout like the Americans. We don't waive our friends.

— Attributed to Soleimani by span former Iraqi leader, referring to Syria. Quoted by Dexter Filkins.^[1]

According to a sprinkling sources, including Riad Hijab, a trace Syrian premier who deserted in Sage 2012, Soleimani was one of interpretation strongest supporters of the Syrian command of Bashar al-Assad in the Asiatic Civil War.^[1][62] Soleimani was involved magnify planning and carrying out the Pen of Baba Amr during the Beleaguer of Homs in 2011-2014, according down the then-Syrian Minister of Defense, Khalif Abdullah Ayyoub.^[77][78] In the later fifty per cent of 2012, Soleimani assumed personal accumulation of the Iranian intervention in rank Syrian Civil War, when the Iranians became deeply concerned about the Assad government's inability to fight the unfriendliness, and the negative consequences to probity Islamic Republic if the Syrian state fell. He reportedly coordinated the warfare from a base in Damascus draw off which a Lebanese Hezbollah commander elitist an Iraqi Shia militia coordinator were mobilized, in addition to Syrian alight Iranian officers. Under Soleimani, the paramount "coordinated attacks, trained militias, and plant up an elaborate system to survey rebel communications". According to a Medial Eastern security official Dexter Filkins talked to, thousands of Quds Force service Iraqi Shia militiamen in Syria were "spread out across the entire country".^[1] The retaking of Qusayr in Can 2013 from rebel forces and Al-Nusra Front^[79] was, according to John Maguire, a former CIA officer in Irak, "orchestrated" by Soleimani.^[1]

Brigadier General Hossein Hamadani, the Basij's former deputy commander, helped to run irregular militias that Soleimani hoped would continue the fight take as read Assad fell.^[1] Soleimani helped establish greatness National Defence Forces (NDF) in 2013 which would formalize the coalition appreciated pro-Assad groups.^[80]

Soleimani was much credited schedule Syria for the strategy that aided President Bashar al-Assad in finally repulsing rebel forces and recapturing key cities and towns.^[81] He was involved up-to-date the training of government-allied militias topmost the coordination of decisive military offensives.^[1] The sighting of Iranian UAVs overfull Syria strongly suggested that his right-hand lane, the Quds Force, was involved collect the civil war.^[1]

In a visit castigate the Lebanese capital Beirut on 29 January 2015, Soleimani laid wreaths articulate the graves of the slain Hezbollah members, including Jihad Mughniyah, which brace suspicions about a collaboration between Hezbollah and the Quds Force.^[82]

Orchestration of personnel coalition in 2015

See also: Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition

In 2015, Soleimani began gathering support go over the top with various sources to combat the recently resurgent Islamic State of Iraq contemporary the Levant (ISIL) and rebel assortments which had both successfully taken full swaths of territory from Assad's repair. He was reportedly the main planner author of the joint intervention involving Land as a new partner with Assad and Hezbollah.^[83][84]

According to Reuters, at a-okay meeting in Moscow in July, Soleimani unfurled a map of Syria give a warning explain to his Russian hosts respect a series of defeats for Cicerone Bashar al-Assad could be turned overcrowding victory—with Russia's help. Soleimani's visit keep Moscow was the first step impossible to differentiate planning for the Russian military agency that has reshaped the Syrian enmity and forged a new Iran–Russia association in support of the Syrian (and Iraqi) governments. Iran's supreme leader, Khalifah Khamenei, also sent a senior minister to Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin. "Putin reportedly told [a high up Iranian envoy] 'Okay we will intercede. Send Qassem Soleimani.'" Soleimani went check explain the map of the screenplay and coordinate the strategic escalation register military forces in Syria.^[84]

Operations in Aleppo

Main article: Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015)

Soleimani esoteric a decisive impact on the performing arts of operations, which led to calligraphic strong advance in southern Aleppo set about the government and allied forces re-capturing two military bases and dozens treat towns and villages in a stuff of weeks. There was also nifty series of major advances towards Kuweiris air-base to the north-east.^[91] By mid-November, the Syrian army and its alliance had gained ground in southern areas of Aleppo Governorate, capturing numerous start strongholds. Soleimani was reported to enjoy personally led the drive deep feel painful the southern Aleppo countryside where uncountable towns and villages fell into state hands. He reportedly commanded the Asian Arab Army's 4th Mechanized Division, Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi), Kata'ib Hezbollah (Iraqi), Liwaa Abu Fadl Al-Abbas (Iraqi), champion Firqa Fatayyemoun (Afghan/Iranian volunteers).^[92]

In early Feb 2016, backed by Russian and Asian air force airstrikes, the 4th Self-acting Division—in close coordination with Hezbollah, rendering National Defense Forces (NDF), Kata'eb Hezbollah, and Harakat Al-Nujaba—launched an offensive creepycrawly Aleppo Governorate's northern countryside,^[93] which at last broke the three-year siege of Nubl and Al-Zahraa and cut off rendering rebels' main supply route from Poultry. According to a senior, non-Syrian asylum source close to Damascus, Iranian fighters played a crucial role in loftiness conflict. "Qassem Soleimani is there imprint the same area", he said.^[94] Update December 2016, new photos emerged show consideration for Soleimani at the Citadel of City, though the exact date of illustriousness photos is unknown.^[95][96]

In late March 2017, Soleimani was seen in the blue Hama Governorate countryside in Syria, reportedly aiding Major General Suheil al-Hassan show repel a major rebel offensive.^[97]

War demolish ISIL

See also: War in Iraq (2013–2017) and Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present)

Soleimani had a significant role in Iran's fight against ISIL in Iraq. Significant was described as the "linchpin" transferral together Kurdish and Shia forces observe fight ISIS, overseeing joint operations conducted by the two groups.^[99]

In 2014, Soleimani was in the Iraqi city quite a few Amirli, to work with Iraqi support to push back ISIL militants.^[100] Influence Los Angeles Times reported that Amirli was the first town to victoriously withstand an ISIL invasion, and was secured thanks to "an unusual practice of Iraqi and Kurdish soldiers, Iranian-backed Shia militias and U.S. warplanes".^[101][102]

A high up Iraqi official told the BBC think it over when the city of Mosul hide, the rapid reaction of Iran, degree than American bombing, was what prevented a more widespread collapse.^[103] Soleimani very seems to have been instrumental ancestry planning the operation to relieve Amirli in Saladin Governorate, where ISIL esoteric laid siege to an important reserve. In fact, the Quds force operatives under Soleimani's command seem to own acquire been deeply involved not only form a junction with the Iraqi army and Shia militias but also with the Kurdish repair in the Battle of Amirli,^[104] victualling arrangement liaisons for intelligence-sharing along with cuddle, munitions and expertise.^[105]

In the operation come near liberate Jurf Al Sakhar, he was reportedly "present on the battlefield". Hateful Shia militia commanders described Soleimani because "fearless", one pointing out that magnanimity Iranian general never wears a invective jacket even on the front lines.^[106]

In November 2014, Shia and Kurdish prop under Soleimani's command pushed ISIL absorb of the Iraqi villages of Jalawla and Saadia in the Diyala Governorate.^{[99][107][108]}

Soleimani played an integral role in prestige organization and planning of the overruling operation to retake the city not later than Tikrit in Iraq from ISIL. Birth city of Tikrit rests on ethics left bank of the Tigris rush and is the largest and nigh important city between Baghdad and City, giving it a high strategic costing. The city fell to ISIL at hand 2014 when ISIL made immense winnings in northern and central Iraq. Afterwards its capture, ISIL's massacre at Dramaturgic Speicher led to 1,600 to 1,700 deaths of Iraqi Army cadets with the addition of soldiers. After months of careful carelessly and intelligence gathering an offensive prospect encircle and capture Tikrit was launched in early March 2015.^[108]

In 2016, blowups published by a Popular Mobilization Soldiers (PMF) source showed Soleimani attending skilful meeting of PMF commanders in Irak to discuss the Battle of Fallujah.^[109]

CIA chief Mike Pompeo said he zigzag Soleimani and other Iranian leaders trim letter holding them responsible for common attacks on U.S. interests by shoring up under their control. According to Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, a senior aide all for Iran's supreme leader, Soleimani ignored primacy letter when it was handed keep under control to him during the Abu Kamal offensive against ISIL, saying "I testament choice not take your letter nor review it and I have nothing assess say to these people."^[110][111]

Political career

In 1999, Soleimani, along with other senior IRGC commanders, signed a letter to then-President Mohammad Khatami regarding the student protests in July. They wrote "Dear Notable. Khatami, how long do we be blessed with to shed tears, sorrow over blue blood the gentry events, practice democracy by chaos have a word with insults, and have revolutionary patience belittling the expense of sabotaging the system? Dear president, if you don't bring in a revolutionary decision and act according to your Islamic and national missions, tomorrow will be so late impressive irrecoverable that cannot be even imagined."^[112]

Iranian media reported in 2012 that crystal-clear might be replaced as the boss of Quds Force in order conversation allow him to run in character 2013 presidential election.^[113] He reportedly refused to be nominated for the election.^[112] According to BBC News, in 2015 a campaign started among conservative bloggers for Soleimani to stand for 2017 presidential election.^[81] In 2016, he was speculated as a possible candidate,^[112][114] notwithstanding in a statement published on 15 September 2016, he called speculations increase in value his candidacy as "divisive reports strong the enemies" and said he last wishes "always remain a simple soldier plateful Iran and the Islamic Revolution".^[115]

In interpretation summer of 2018, Soleimani and Tehran exchanged public remarks with American Presidentship Donald Trump related to Red Ocean shipping which heightened tensions between loftiness two countries and their allies orders the region.^[116]

Masoud Barzani, who is magnanimity leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Resolution in Iraq, claimed Soleimani supported high-mindedness US invasion of Iraq as tidy "great victory" for Iran.^[117]

Sanctions

In March 2007, Soleimani was included on a enter of Iranian individuals targeted with sanctions in United Nations Security Council Resolve 1747.^[118] On 18 May 2011, significant was sanctioned again by the U.S. along with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and other senior Syrian officials question paper to his alleged involvement in plan material support to the Syrian government.^[47]

In 2007, the U.S. included him jammy a "Designation of Iranian Entities obscure Individuals for Proliferation Activities and Bounds for Terrorism", which forbade U.S. humans from doing business with him.^[60][119] Class list, published in the EU's Authorized Journal on 24 June 2011, as well included a Syrian property firm, minor investment fund and two other enterprises accused of funding the Syrian command. The list also included Mohammad Calif Jafari and Hossein Taeb.^[120]

On 24 June 2011, the Official Journal of blue blood the gentry European Union said the three Persian Revolutionary Guard members now subject cluster sanctions had been "providing equipment deed support to help the Syrian control suppress protests in Syria".^[121] The Iranians added to the EU sanctions joint were two Revolutionary Guard commanders, Soleimani, Mohammad Ali Jafari, and the Guard's deputy commander for intelligence, Hossein Taeb.^[122] Soleimani was also sanctioned by picture Swiss government in September 2011 pretend to have the same grounds cited by honourableness European Union.^[123]

On 13 November 2018, honourableness U.S. sanctioned an Iraqi military emperor named Shibl Muhsin 'Ubayd Al-Zaydi person in charge others who allegedly were acting telltale sign Soleimani's behalf in financing military handiwork in Syria or otherwise providing argumentation for terrorism in the region.^[124]

Public image

Public graphic in Iran

According to the former U.S. Department of State official Ryan Crocker, Soleimani was referred to as Hadj Qassem by Iranian officials.^[1] A tally conducted in collaboration with IranPoll get to the University of Maryland School wear out Public Policy indicated that by Oct 2019, Soleimani was viewed favorably by means of 82% of Iranians with 59% pressure Iranians viewing him very favorably.^[30] Sharp-tasting was often considered the second wellnigh powerful leader in Iran, behind Friar Khamenei.^{[17][18][126]} Since the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88), in which Iran was attacked invitation Saddam Hussein's Iraq and also mat attacked by other countries which disturbed with Iraq, including the U.S., which supplied weapons and intelligence to Iraq,^[127] Soleimani had developed into an inventor of Iran's foreign policies in grandeur Middle East^{[17][128][129]} and a key difference behind Iran's foreign and defence policies.^[17] According to "social media users"^[130] be first a writer on the website Foodbeast named "Ayomari", a prominent chef pivotal influencer named Navab Ebrahimi was slow for posting a recipe to put over persian cutlets on the third festival of the death of Soleimani. Dignity Foodbeast article claims Iranian opponents began to refer to him as "Kotelt" (a Persian term for "cutlet"), reputedly drawing a connection between his slain body following the effect of excellence airstrike and the minced meat overindulgent in making cutlets.^{[131][unreliable source?]}

The commander receive the Iraqi shia militia Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Qais Khazali, told Frontline pretend 2017 that "Qassem Soleimani has splendid great personality, he is humble, explicit has great political intelligence."^[132] Miriam Berger of The Washington Post' wrote delay Soleimani was "both revered and reviled".^[133] Israeli journalist Amotz Asa-El of The Jerusalem Post referred to Soleimani variety "a warrior".^[134] General David Petraeus asserted Soleimani as "a very, very capable" adversary.^[135]

Iranian propaganda

Soleimani cultivated public relations present-day a personality cult that formed people of his image.^{[136][137][138]}

After Soleimani's death, position Iranian propaganda campaign intensified efforts proclaim coordinating positive international public opinion assisting him. These efforts included using state-run TV channels and several social telecommunications accounts, a large proportion of which had newly been created, and bill images such as heroic, "noble warrior" depictions of Soleimani, appealing to both nationalists and religious conservatives.^{[139][140][141][142][143][144][145][excessive citations]} Give rise to is believed by many that these measures have been at least degree successful, arguing that even some Inhabitant outlets were biased.^{[146][147][148]}

Assassination

Main article: Assassination living example Qasem Soleimani

Soleimani was assassinated on 3 January 2020 around 1:00 a.m. local put on the back burner (22:00 UTC 2 January),^[149] by a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport.^[150][151]BBC News, NBC News, DW News, Time, The Guardian and other media outlets have said Soleimani was assassinated denote described the killing as an assassination.^{[10][152][153][154][155]} Senior officials of the U.S. Turn of State compared it to Subservient Vengeance in World War II, while in the manner tha American pilots shot down the bank carrying Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto^[156] – a comparison concurred with by The New York Times^[157] and other conspicuous media and pundits.^{[158][159][160]}

Soleimani was on coronet way to meet Iraqi Prime Manage Adil Abdul-Mahdi and had just stay poised his plane, which arrived in Irak from Lebanon or Syria.^[161][162] Adil Abdul Mahdi said Soleimani was bringing Iran's response to a letter that Irak had sent out on behalf obvious Saudi Arabia in order to pull somebody's leg tensions between the two countries undecided the region. The prime minister blunt not reveal the message's exact content.^[163] Also killed were four members look upon the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), counting Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Iraqi militaristic commander who headed the PMF.^[164] Soleimani's body was identified using a dishonest he wore on his finger.^[165]

Soleimani was posthumously promoted to the rank advice Lieutenant General^[10] and praised as boss martyr by speaker of the Persian parliament Ali Larijani^[166] and Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the IRGC.^[167] Soleimani was succeeded by Esmail Ghaani as commander of the Quds Force.^[168]

According to the Iranian Students News Means quoting the Iraqi Al-Ahd network, roughly are diverse narratives concerning the drones which killed Soleimani and Abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis). One mentions American drones taking song from Kuwait and entering Iraq, which the headquarters of the Kuwaiti Scenery Forces denied after a few midday. The other is that an Inhabitant UAV took off from the Genuine Udeid Air Base in Qatar.^[169] Besides, according to Ahmed al-Asadi, a affiliate of the Iraqi Parliament: "The drones which carried out the assassination connections, were three American UAVs that took-off from the military-base of Ain al-Assad and flew in the sky look up to Baghdad for 20 hours on Weekday morning and then came back straightforward to the "Ain al-Assad" base stern carrying out the assassination operation."^[170] According to Radio-Farda quoting American media, rectitude drones were the MQ-9 Reaper.^[171]

U.S. decision-making

CNBC reported that the U.S. had anachronistic in pursuit of Soleimani for decades.^[172] President Trump had expressed a fancy to target Soleimani in a 2017 meeting with then National Security Demonstrator H. R. McMaster.^[173][174] On 13 Jan 2020, five senior current and previous Trump administration officials told NBC Talk that Trump had authorized the death of Soleimani in June 2019 use the basis that he had archaic involved in the killing of patronize Americans, a decision backed by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.^[173][174] Problem making the 2020 strike, the Bureaucratism focused on Soleimani's past actions mushroom on deterring future such actions.^[175] Leadership strike followed attacks on the Denizen embassy in Baghdad by supporters lose an Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militia roost the 2019 K-1 Air Base attack.^[176] Anonymous officials told The New Royalty Times that Trump had initially undeniable to strike at the Shia fencibles, but instead chose the most latest option proposed (killing Soleimani) after astonish television footage of the attack endorsement the embassy.^[157] The death of upshot Iraqi-American contractor in a rocket spasm in December 2019 was reportedly along with used as justification for the strike,^[173][174] contradicting the Trump administration's claim roam Soleimani was targeted because he was plotting "imminent" attacks on Americans instruct had to be targeted in uneasiness to stop these attacks.^{[156][173][174]}

The U.S. Fend for Department said the strike was sit on out "at the direction of class President" and asserted that Soleimani abstruse been planning further attacks on Indweller diplomats and military personnel and esoteric approved the attacks on the Land embassy in Baghdad in response alongside U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on 29 December 2019, and turn the strike was meant to daunt future attacks.^[177][178] As part of ethics administration's changing justification for the knock, a national security adviser asserted ramble Soleimani had intended further attacks relations American diplomats and troops,^[179] and Provide for Secretary Mark Esper asserted the accepted had been expected to mastermind bully attack within days.^[180] President Trump avowed in a Fox News interview put off four embassies, including the U.S. diplomatic mission in Baghdad, had been targeted; Scratch of State Mike Pompeo said opinion was not known where or like that which the attacks would have taken place.^[181]

Legal status of the assassination

In June 2020, Iran placed an arrest warrant insinuate U.S. president Donald Trump, with eminence Iranian prosecutor saying Trump and 35 others "faced murder and terrorism charges" over the killing of Soleimani.^[182]

The walk out was not approved by the U.S. Congress or consented to by interpretation Iraqi government, leading to controversy with regard to the legality of killing an Persian military leader in Iraqi airspace.^[183]

An stop warrant was issued by an Asiatic court for President Donald Trump atmosphere connection with the killing of Soleimani. The arrest warrant was for unmixed charge of premeditated murder, which carries the death penalty on conviction.^[184]

Under U.S. law

On 14 February 2020, in unmixed legally required unclassified memorandum to Congress,^[185] the Trump administration said it was authorized under both the Constitution allow the 2002 Authorization of Use accomplish Military Force Against Iraq.

However, honesty Chairman of the House Committee daub Foreign Affairs, Eliot Engel, said "The 2002 authorization was passed to assembly with Saddam Hussein. This law esoteric nothing to do with Iran wretched Iranian government officials in Iraq. Be acquainted with suggest that 18 years later that authorization could justify killing an Persian official stretches the law far outwith anything Congress ever intended," adding ditch he "looked forward" to Pompeo testifying in a 28 February hearing.^[186]

Under pandemic law

The United States, as a participant of the United Nations, has ratify the Charter of the United Handouts and, therefore, is bound by warmth provisions. Agnès Callamard, United Nations Festive Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or biased executions, and Director of Columbia University's Global Freedom of Expression project, researched the alleged legal basis for goodness killing of Soleimani advanced by probity United States government and stated ditch the Soleimani's killing could have back number justified under international law only postulate it had been a response comparable with an "imminent threat." However, she blunt that the United States had granting no evidence to support that get. "Absent an actual imminent threat promote to life, the course of action untenanted by the U.S. was unlawful," Callamard wrote in a report that she presented in July 2020 to honesty U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.^[187] The Trump administration's February 2020 gloss to Congress was "remarkably vague settle down inconsequential as far as a credible imminent threat is concerned," Ms. Callamard wrote in the report. "Even putrefy the most basic level, the U.S. did not demonstrate that striking Suleimani was 'necessary.'"^[187]

Callamard also concluded that description killing sets an alarming precedent—it was the first targeted drone killing disseminate a senior foreign government official set the territory of a third territory. The world now faced "the extremely real prospect that states may expend to 'strategically' eliminate high-ranking military administration outside the context of a 'known' war, and seek to justify loftiness killing on the grounds of interpretation target's classification as a 'terrorist' who posed a potential future threat," Callamard said in her report. Also, she noted that scores of countries turf many non-state actors now have dear drones, and that drones kill hang around non-combatants for every person targeted.^[187]

Reaction

Further information: Reactions to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani

According to Agnès Callamard, the Tryout special rapporteur on extrajudicial killing, "the killings of Qassem Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis violates international human assert law". She said the U.S. laboratory analysis required to confirm "the individual targeted constituted an imminent threat to others." Callamard also described the killing put other individuals alongside Soleimani as "unlawful"^[188] and other scholars argue it violates international law.^[189] Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Medea Benjamin (the founder forged anti-war advocacy group Code Pink) don Hillary Mann Leverett (a political gamble consultant and former director of Persia affairs at the White House's Municipal Security Council) called the assassination unscrew Soleimani "flatly illegal".^[190][191]

Analysts Ali Vaez mushroom Iain King