Who is General Qassem Suleimani? Iran's top commander killed by the US
General Qassem Suleimani, 62, was not only one of the most influential people in Iran but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Touted by many as the future president of Iran, Suleimani had survived over a dozen of assassination plots in the past against him
- Jan 3, 2020,
- Updated Jan 3, 2020 1:46 PM IST
US President Donald Trump-authorised airstrikes at the international airport of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday killed General Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, and top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, along with four other top commanders. His death has heightened tensions between the two countries. While the US said it would continue to take such actions to protect its interests, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge". Iran warned that the US would pay a heavy price of this "extremely dangerous and foolish escalation".
General Qassem Suleimani, 62, was not only one of the most influential people in Iran but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Touted by many as the future president of Iran, Suleimani had survived over a dozen of assassination plots in the past against him.
He was responsible for carrying out operations beyond Iran and was a major adversary of the United States and Israel and Saudi Arabia.
At a time when the US was up against the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria, he gathered support for the controversial president. He also helped armed groups defeat ISIS in Iraq.
Soon after his death, the White House said on Friday that General Suleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.
"He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months - including the attack on December 27th - culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Suleimani also approved the attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week," the statement said.
Over a year back, Suleimani even warned US President Donald Trump of escalating war with Iran. Calling Trump a gambler, Suleimani said Iran was closer to the US in places it might not know. "You will start the war but we will end it," he had threatened.
By Manoj Sharma
US President Donald Trump-authorised airstrikes at the international airport of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday killed General Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, and top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, along with four other top commanders. His death has heightened tensions between the two countries. While the US said it would continue to take such actions to protect its interests, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge". Iran warned that the US would pay a heavy price of this "extremely dangerous and foolish escalation".
General Qassem Suleimani, 62, was not only one of the most influential people in Iran but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Touted by many as the future president of Iran, Suleimani had survived over a dozen of assassination plots in the past against him.
He was responsible for carrying out operations beyond Iran and was a major adversary of the United States and Israel and Saudi Arabia.
At a time when the US was up against the Bashar Al-Assad regime in Syria, he gathered support for the controversial president. He also helped armed groups defeat ISIS in Iraq.
Soon after his death, the White House said on Friday that General Suleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.
"He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months - including the attack on December 27th - culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Suleimani also approved the attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week," the statement said.
Over a year back, Suleimani even warned US President Donald Trump of escalating war with Iran. Calling Trump a gambler, Suleimani said Iran was closer to the US in places it might not know. "You will start the war but we will end it," he had threatened.
By Manoj Sharma