Iran leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sobbed Monday as he prayed beside the coffin of terror leader Qasem Soleimani who was eliminated in a U.S. airstrike, as Soleimani’s daughter promised a “dark day” for the United States lay ahead.
“Crazy Trump, don’t think that everything is over with my father’s martyrdom,” Zeinab Soleimani warned in her own address broadcast on state television.
Elsewhere state television said it was a “several million-strong” turnout that witnessed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has vowed “severe revenge” for the U.S. attack, presiding over prayers for the general.
Khamenei wept and sobbed beside the flag-draped coffins containing the remains of Soleimani, 62, and five other “martyrs” killed in the strike.
The streets of Tehran were so full of people that many were unable to emerge from underground metro stations, semi-official news agency ISNA reported.
It reported Chants of “Death to infidels,” “Death to seditionists” and “Death to al-Saud” — a reference to the Saudi ruling family — were heard as people viewed the coffin.
Earlier Tehran’s parliament rang to the cries of “death to America” as lawmakers gathered for their own farewell to a man who visited terror on the Islamic Republic’s opponents both at home and abroad.
The new commander of the IRGC Quds Forces, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, said Iran is planning to strike back at the U.S. and eliminate its presence from the Middle East: “We promise to continue Martyr Soleimani’s path with the same strength and his martyrdom will be reciprocated in several steps by removing the U.S. from the region.”
Ghaani added: “The continuance of this movement is to reach the global governance of Imam Mahdi (May God Hasten His Reappearance). This important goal will be attained under the Supreme Leader.”
“The revenge for Soleimani’s martyrdom is a promise given by God, as the God is the main avenger,” he said.
Following Monday’s funeral, the general’s remains will then be taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
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