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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Tim Baker

Qasem Soleimani's daughter promises 'dark day' for US and Israel after US airstrike

The daughter of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani has warned that the US and Israel face a “dark day” following her father’s killing.

Thousands of mourners took to the streets of the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday morning for the military leader’s funeral.

Among the mourners was Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who prayed over the coffin of General Soleimani.

General Soleimani was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran behind Ayatollah Khamenei.

His daughter Zenaib Soleimani told the crowds on a television broadcast: "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom.”

Ms Soleimani added: "Families of the American soldiers in western Asia have witnessed America's humiliation in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Yemen and Palestine wars, and will spend their days waiting for the death of their children."

http://players.brightcove.net/1348423965/default_default/index.html?videoId=6119880481001

Iran has promised to avenge the killing of General Soleimani, the architect of Iran's drive to extend its influence across the region and a national hero among many Iranians, even many of those who did not consider themselves devoted supporters of the Islamic Republic's clerical rulers.

The scale of the crowds in Tehran shown on television mirrored the masses that gathered in 1989 for the funeral of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

General Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike (AP)

In response to Iran's warnings, President Trump has threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites, including cultural targets, if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets, deepening a crisis that has heightened fears of a major Middle East conflagration.

The coffins of the Iranian general and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was also killed in Friday's attack on Baghdad airport, were passed across the heads of mourners massed in central Tehran, many of them chanting "Death to America".

Ayatollah Khamenei lead prayers over the casket (KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty Images)

One of the Islamic Republic's major regional goals, namely to drive US forces out of neighbouring Iraq, came a step closer on Sunday when the Iraqi parliament backed a recommendation by the prime minister for all foreign troops to be ordered out.

"Despite the internal and external difficulties that we might face, it remains best for Iraq on principle and practically," said Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who resigned in November amid anti-government protests.

Iraq's rival Shi'ite leaders, including ones opposed to Iranian influence, have united since Friday's attack in calling for the expulsion of US troops.

The funeral was attended by some of Iran's allies in the region, including Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Palestinian group Hamas who said: "I declare that the martyred commander Soleimani is a martyr of Jerusalem."

Adding to tensions, Iran said it was taking another step back from commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, a pact from which the United States withdrew in 2018.

Washington has since imposed tough sanctions on Iran, describing its policy as "maximum pressure" and saying it wanted to drive down Iranian oil exports - the main source of government revenues - to zero.

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