Tag Archives: Qassem Soleimani

High-Ranking Iranian Official Dies from Coronavirus

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by Daveda Gruber:

According to Iranian state media another high-ranking official, Hossein Sheikholeslam, has died from the coronavirus.

Sheikholeslam, who was sixty-eight years old, was the Iranian ambassador to Syria. He studied at the University of California at Berkely and later became a leader of the radical Iranian students who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979 and held hostages until January 20, 1981.

Sixty-six American citizens at the U.S. embassy in Tehrān were held hostage and fifty-two of them were held for 444-days, which is more than a year.

It was reported that Sheikholeslam died late Thursday. He had tested positive two days prior to dying but the Islamic Republic News Agency had announced that he was recovering.

Sheikholeslam is the sixth Iranian politician or government official to be killed by the virus in Iran. Before his death he was serving as an aide to Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Zarif called the U.S. strike on Iran’s top military leader, Qassem Soleimani, “an act of terror.”

Iran has rejected help with the coronavirus outbreak that was offered by the Trump administration.

The Iranian death toll from coronavirus reached 124 with 4,747 cases across the country being reported. Iran may enforce a travel ban between Iranian cities.

Iranian officials who have died fro the corona virus are:

Mohammad Mirmohammadi: Member of the Expediency Council which advises supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Mohammad Ali Ramezani: Member of parliament.

Mojtaba Pourkhanali: Agriculture ministry official

Ahmad Toyserkani: Adviser to the judiciary chief

Hadi Khosroshahi: Former envoy to the Vatican

Mojtaba Fazeli: Secretary to a senior cleric

A member of Tehran parliament, Fatemeh Rahbar, remains in a coma after being infected.

ISNA is reporting many other officials have been infected and are under quarantine.

Among them are:

Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar who is known in the West as “Screaming Mary” for her role as a spokeswoman during the hostage crisis.

Grand Ayatollah Musa Shobairi Zanjani, who is considered one of the country’s highest religious authorities.

Iraj Harirchi, who is the deputy health minister, tested positive last month right after downplaying the outbreak.

Revolutionary Guard General Hossein Salami falsely accused the U.S. created the virus in the midst of growing tensions between the two nations.

Salami told a crowd in the Iranian city of Kerman, “We will win in the fight against the virus, which may be the product of the American biological invasion, which it first spread to China and then to Iran and the rest of the world. The U.S. must know that if it did it, (the virus) will return to it.”

Islamic leaders are facing enragement and suspicion from the people of Iran because of the shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet in January. One hundred and seventy-six people died in the downing of the jet and most of them were Iranian citizens. Maybe this was Salami’s way of diverting the blame of the coronavirus to take concerns off the Iranian government, and in fact, change the dialoge.

Health minister Saee Namaki said, “This virus is highly contagious. It is a serious matter, do not joke about it.”

I agree that the coronavirus is not a joke but pointing fingers at a country which is not an ally, is not the answer.

I’d add that losing government officials in Iran is not a concern of mine but maybe KARMA may have played a part in it.

Did the Obama Regime Pay for the Missiles Fired at US?

 
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by Daveda Gruber:

On Wednesday former President Barack Obama took some heat as President Trump blamed the last administration for money given by the Obama regime to Iran.

Trump has claimed that the money given to Iran by the Obama administration was used to pay for missiles that were aimed at U.S. troops in Iraq.

The nation listened and watched as Trump spoke the morning following the Iranian regime’s launching of more than a dozen missiles at Iraqi bases which house American troops.

The missiles were fired by Iran in a retaliatory attack for the U.S. strike last week that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

While referring to settlement money the U.S. paid to Iran in 2016, Trump said from the White House, “The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.”

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) is the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. withdrew from it in 2018.

Supporters of the deal claimed it kept Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Trump on the other hand renewed his assertion that it bolstered Tehran.

Trump said, “Iran’s hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013, and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash. Instead of saying thank you to the United States, they chanted ‘Death to America.’”

He added that Iran went on a “terrorist spree” with that money “and created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq.”

He went on to say that it was with that money that the missiles fired late Tuesday were funded.

Trump has never been a fan of the deal and zeroed in particularly on the money that was unfrozen or sent to Iran directly in the darkness of night.

It cannot be determined exactly how the missiles were paid for but some Republicans have connected the Iran settlement money to the attacks.

While on Fox News’ “Hannity” on Tuesday night, Texas Senator Ted Cruz said, “In a very real sense, the missiles that we saw fired at U.S. servicemen and women tonight were paid for by the billions that the Obama administration flooded the Ayatollah with.”

The money that was paid in cash, was transferred with a planeload of $400 million delivered to Tehran on Jan. 17 2016. On the same day Iran agreed to release four American prisoners.

The payment of $1.3 billion that remained was reported to have been paid within weeks of that first payment.

Then there is $150 billion which is an estimated value of Iranian assets that had been frozen abroad in financial institutions as part of international sanctions. That money was unfrozen as part of the deal.

That money could generate about $55 billion in liquid assets.

After leaving the Obama-Iran deal, the Trump administration has put back sanctions on Tehran. Violations by the Iranian regime by stockpiling uranium has brought back the restrictions.

Trump has called for other countries to break away from the deal and secure a new one.

Trump said, “The time has come for the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia and China to recognize this reality. They must now break away from the remnants of the Iran deal or JCPOA. And we must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place.”

Soleimani Funeral Causes Deaths in Stampede

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by Daveda Gruber:

According to reports in Iranian state media, as many as forty people have died and about two hundred have been insured during the Tuesday funeral procession for Iranian General Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a U.S. led airstrike.

The meshing of people that led to the deaths and injuries occurred in Kerman, in southeastern Iran, which is the hometown of the deceased Soleiman.

The numbers were not reported initially and are still uncertain but Pirhossein Koulivand, who is the head of Iran’s emergency medical services, gave the casualty toll in an interview with state TV. The death total can go up due to injuries that are being treated.

Koulivand said, “Unfortunately as a result of the stampede, some of our compatriots have been injured and some have been killed during the funeral processions.”

Videos posted online showed people lying lifeless on a road while others were shouting and trying to help them.

Here is a video from BBC News:

This isn’t the first time that chaos irrupted during a funeral possession in Iran. In 1989 the funeral procession in Tehran of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In that incident the remains of the deceased half naked body tumbled out of an open coffin and the scene was captured on live state television. Mourners were seen blocking the path of a truck carrying the deceased leader of the Iranian revolution. His burial shroud was torn off and his body was knocked to the ground.

The body was airlifted by military helicopter and the TV broadcast cut short. The remains were then rewrapped in traditional Muslim burial attire and then placed in a metal casket for burial.
Soleiman was killed on Thursday at Baghdad International Airport. He was the leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who was the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces and five other people were also killed in the U.S. airstrike.

On Monday, the death of Soleimani led to a procession in Tehran which drew over one million people in the Iranian capital. The funeral procession continued into Iran’s holy city of Qom. Another huge crowd turned out for that.

Soleimani’s remains and those of the others killed in the airstrike were brought to a central square in Kerman where the stamped occurred where he was set to be buried Tuesday. Those plans have now been delayed.

The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, spoke in Kerman and threatened to “set ablaze” places supported by the United States over the killing of Soleimani. The crowd of supporters chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel!”

Iran has promised retaliation to American interests for the death of Soleimani.

The chants of death, in themselves, would seem to be a promise of retaliation of sorts, but then again, Iranian extreme Muslims have been chanting threats of death for as long as I can remember.
Only time will tell what is yet to come. I can you, my readers, that Soleimani and his cohorts were very evil men and had the blood of Americans on their hands.

Sometimes the killing of those who are so evil is the only way to stop them from continuing their reign of terror that would continue to take innocent lives of Americans, our allies and even their own people.

Threats to Attack White House Made by Iranian MP

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by Daveda Gruber:

It has been reported that Iranian MP Abolfazl Abutorabi has threatened to attack the White House.

This statement comes after a message from President Trump that promised severe consequences if Iran escalates hostile actions with the U.S.

The message from Trump comes through tweets from the president.

A question from Abutorabi about how the Islamic nation should react to the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani sparked the response.

According to the Independent Abutorabi said “We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil. We have the power, and God willing we will respond in an appropriate time.”

Abutorabi called Soleimani’s death during an American airstrike  “a declaration of war,” and that a swift, strong response was necessary.

Abutorabi said, “When someone declares war, do you want to respond to the bullets with flowers? They will shoot you in the head.”

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said “harsh retaliation is waiting for the criminals whose filthy hands spilled his blood,” while speaking after the death of Soleimani.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made a promise to “take revenge for this heinous crime.”

On Sunday Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that Soleimani’s death puts the entire region at the beginning of a “completely new phase.”

At a rally in southern Beirut, Nasrallah reportedly called the killing of Soleimani a “clear, blatant crime” that will transform the Middle East.

The Independent’s international correspondent, Borzou Daragahi, doubted the likelihood of an attack on U.S. soil. He allegedly said that Abutorabi was known for inflammatory language and that Iran does not necessarily have the military capabilities of striking the U.S. with missiles.

I certainly don’t believe that Iran has the capabilities of striking American soil at this time.

Had former President Barack Obama been able to continue in the manner in which he was operating, for example, sending cargo planes filled with cash, then Iran would have accomplished their mission to destroy America and Israel.

Trump has just put a big damper on those plans.

President Trump: Soleimani Should have been Killed Years Ago

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by Daveda Gruber:

On Friday President Trump made it clear that Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was hated and feared in his own country and should have been taken out many years ago.

Trump was slinging back at people who have criticized him over the airstrike in Bagdad, Iraq that killed Soleimani, who was the top military general.

Here’s Trump tweet that told us about the death of Soleimani:

The tweets from the president came after the Pentagon confirmed that Soleimani, who was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members was dead.

Also, other military officials at Baghdad International Airport were killed during the airstrike.

The State Department went on to say that Soleimani, who was considered the most powerful men in Iran, was guilty of the wounding of thousands more Americans and coalition members.

A designated terror group since 2007, the elite intelligence wing called Quds Force, was led by Soleimani for many years.

Quds Force is estimated to have 20,000 members and it considered Soleimani was referred to as its shadow commander or spymaster.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has vowed to take revenge for what he called a heinous crime carried out by the U.S. Rouhani said, as well, that Iran would “raise the flag” of Soleimani “in defense of the country’s territorial integrity and the fight against terrorism and extremism in the region.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted this:

Soleimani’s deputy commander since 1997, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, will take over for the now deceased Soleimani.

Iranian state media reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also warned “harsh retaliation is waiting” for the U.S.

The State Department on Friday issued a security alert that urged all U.S. citizens to “depart Iraq immediately” due to heightened tensions in the region.

The alert said, “Due to Iranian-backed militia attacks at the U.S. Embassy compound, all consular operations are suspended. U.S. citizens should not approach the Embassy.”

In addition, the agency shared phone numbers people concerned about U.S. citizens and other loved ones in Iraq could call toll free for information.

On Friday Trump tweeted this:

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that the strike was carried out to prevent an “imminent attack” by forces directed by Soleimani.

He added that the strike was carried out to prevent an “imminent attack” by forces directed by Soleimani.

On Friday Pompeo was on “Fox & Friends” and said, “I think the Iranian leadership understands President Trump will take action. . . . We made very clear that these responses would be swift and decisive. We have now demonstrated that. I hope the Iranian leadership will see that and see American resolve and that their decision will be to de-escalate and take actions consistent with what normal nations do.”

Who would want to go to Iran? Not me. Would any of you book a flight to Iran? I didn’t think so!