Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited the family of slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani this week, offering his condolences and promising to avenge his death.
During the visit, which was broadcast on Iranian television on Jan. 4, Rouhani told Soleimani’s family that his service to Iran of “the great martyr” would not be forgotten and that the “right of the Iranian people to avenge Soleimani’s blood is appropriate and absolute.”
He said that the United States does not realize what a grave mistake it has made, and promised that it would see the consequences of this mistake “in the coming years.”
“Inshallah, as the jihad continues,” said Rouhani, “when the day comes when we see America’s evil hand severed from this region once and for all—that will be the day when we will have exacted real revenge upon them.”
Soleimani’s greatness, said Rouhani, was proved by the fact that he had been killed not just by a regular terrorist, but “by the greatest terrorist in history.”
Soleimani’s daughter asked Rouhani who would avenge her father’s blood, and Rouhani responded: “Everybody. Everybody will avenge his blood. Don’t worry.”