ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched thinly-veiled threats at the United States on Tuesday as Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in Iran, saying the US killing of a top Iranian general is “not a trivial matter.”
Kadhimi arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani just days after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif visited Baghdad and Erbil. The Iraqi premier later met with Khamenei.
Seven months on from the US assassination of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad Airport, Khamenei warned that the Islamic Republic will not forget his death.
“They [US] killed your guest [Soleimani] in your home, and they blatantly confessed to this crime. This is not a trivial matter,” said the top leader, according to several tweets on his account.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will never forget the martyrdom of Hajj Qasem Soleimani and will definitely strike a reciprocal blow to the US,” he added.
The Iraqi PM is in Tehran to discuss a range of regional issues, as well as trade between Iran and Iraq, which amounted to $13 billion for 2019.
The killing of Soleimani – who headed the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force- sent US-Iran tensions soaring, and prompted a spate of rocket attacks on military bases in Iraq. It also pushed some Iraqi parliamentarians to pass a non-binding resolution calling on the expulsion of US forces from Iraq.
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al Shaabi), was also killed in the strike. The PMF is a network of predominantly Shiite paramilitiaries, some of which are backed by Tehran.
Khamenei told the newly-inaugurated Iraqi PM that "Iran expects the decision of the Iraqi government, nation & parliament to expel the US to be pursued because US presence causes insecurity.”
Although tensions have abated since January, rocket attacks largely attributed to Iran-backed militias continue to target the US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone.
Khamenei also spoke of good relations between Baghdad and Tehran.
"Wisdom, religion and experience dictate that Iran-Iraq relations be reinforced in all areas. Obviously, there are some countries which are opposed to the expansion of Iran-Iraq relations. The US is at the top of the list. But, we should not fear the US at all because it cannot do a single thing.”
"Iran wishes to see an Iraq which is dignified and independent with its territorial integrity and internal unity and cohesion protected," he added.
