IRGC chief vows to take revenge those behind assassination

TEHRAN:The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Iran will definitely avenge the US assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, but it will only target those who are either directly or indirectly involved in the murder.

General Hossein Salami’s remarks on Saturday came after a US publication claimed that Iran planned to assassinate the American ambassador to South Africa in retaliation, prompting both Tehran and Johannesburg to dismiss the allegation.

“Our promise of avenging the martyrdom of General Soleimani is definite, serious and real. Mr. Trump, do not doubt our revenge, because it is quite definite and serious,” Gen. Soleimani said at the joint morning ceremony of the General Staff of the IRGC.

But “we will be targeting those who were directly or indirectly involved in the martyrdom of the great general Haj Qassem Soleimani,” he said.

“Do you think we will kill a female ambassador to South Africa in exchange for the blood of our martyr brother?" Gen. Salami added.

When the US assassinated Gen. Soleimani and Iraq's top anti-terror commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis outside Baghdad airport on Jan. 3, Iran responded five days later with a volley of precision-guided ballistic missiles which pommeled the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, where US troops were deployed.

Gen. Salami said Saturday, "We are an honorable people and fair, and we take revenge fairly and justly, which is why we did not target your soldiers at Ain al-Asad."

A flimsy US report on the Politico this week, quoting unnamed officials, claimed that Iran had sought to assassinate US Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks in retaliation for the January assassination of the top Iranian anti-terror commander.

South Africa's State Security Agency said Friday it had found no evidence to support US media claims that Iran was planning to assassinate Marks.

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