TEHRAN -- Almost two years since the martyrdom of General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike while leaving Baghdad airport with his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the legendary commander is emerging as a transformative figure who played a key role in the region.
Together they were coordinating efforts against takfiri terrorism and U.S. and Israeli machinations in the region.
Gen. Soleimani’s heroic exploits are many. In 2014, he helped defend the holy city of Samarra north of Baghdad from Daesh. He helped protect an important shrine even as areas around Samarra, such as Camp Speicher, had been overrun.
His bravery and willingness to go by himself into the most dangerous places and in the thick of battle to inspire fighters to stand fast against Daesh was known to all and sundry.
Known as Haj Qassem, the general was not merely a regional strategic asset for Iran, but was also a commander in the field since the 1980s.
He traveled to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and wherever he went, he created an epic.
Gen. Soleimani helped save Iraq from Daesh. He also played a key role in Syria, as well as helped Kurds fight Daesh in 2014.
His martyrdom, however, has not damaged his struggle, but rekindled it and inspired new anti-U.S. and anti-Zionist movements in the region.
On Wednesday, the secretary-general of Iran’s Human Rights Office said three countries inside the region and three outside were involved in the assassination, with former U.S. president Donald Trump topping the list of criminals behind the terrorist attack.
Kazem Gharibabadi pointed out that because the assassination was conducted by the U.S. government, most of the perpetrators are American.
“The instigator of this terrorist act is the American regime, which has caused a large number of defendants in the case to be American,” he said on the eve of the assassination anniversary.
Gharibabadi explained that more than 120 perpetrators have been identified, arrest warrants have been issued for more than 40, and judicial representatives have been sent to 9 countries for pursuing the case.
“Three countries in the region and three countries outside the region are involved in the case of the assassination of martyrs Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.”
Noting that Trump was the main perpetrator of the heinous act, the Iranian official said an international will and the cooperation of Interpol are needed to arrest the criminals.
“The indictment of the perpetrators behind the martyr’s assassination will be sent to the Tehran Court of Justice in two months,” he said.
He also said Iran and Iraq have set up a joint investigation committee to follow up on the case, adding that the two sides have exchanged information on the U.S.-orchestrated crime.
“We have asked Iraq to speed up the investigation so that the necessary verdicts can be issued sooner,” Gharibabadi said.
The Judiciary official also criticized international forums for their silence in the face of the atrocious act.
“As long as these double standards prevail in the world, administering justice will not be easy, but we have a responsibility to take action and try to persuade global public opinion, regardless of those contradictions and double standards.”