The US terrorist forces assassinated Lt. General Qasem Soleimani, who was among the key figures in the fight against terrorism in Syria and Iraq in the past several years, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) in an airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump at Baghdad’s international airport on January 3, 2020.
General Soleimani was hailed as a charismatic brave hero in Iran and beloved by the troops. He devoted his life to defend Iran's national interest in the region so he is considered as a national hero for the Iranian people regardless of their different political and religious tendencies. He is also viewed by the world's freedom-seeking people as the key figure in defeating ISIL, the world’s most notorious terrorist group, in the Middle East battles.
On the first anniversary of Lt. Gen. Qasem Soleimani’s assassination, Mehr News Agency has reached out to Sayyed Tahir al-Hashemi, an Egyptian member of Ahl Al-Bayt World Assembly to shed light on the role of Martyr Soleimani in West Asia.
The assassination of Lt. General Soleimani hurt the feelings of the Arab and Islamic nations and made them very angry with Trump's stupid move, the Egyptian thinker said.
Following is the text of the interview with him:
Through the assassination of Lt. General Soleimani, the number one figure of the fight against terrorism, Trump thought that he would weaken the Resistance and put an end to the anti-American discourse in the region. What effect do you think this action had on the Resistance?
First of all, I must say that there is a great Islamic power right now, and it is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Everyone should know that this great Islamic power is becoming stronger day by day. In fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran is like a great university from which commanders, leaders, and scholars like "General Qasem Soleimani" graduate.
He owned one of the greatest schools of the fight against terrorism in his era. He defended Islam with all his might and fought against terrorist groups and their supporters.
In fact, "Martyr Soleimani" fought the ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq, and finally, he succeeded to defeat them.
As a result, the conspiracies, dangerous plots, and projects of the United States, the Zionist regime, and their Arab allies in the region were doomed to failure through the defeat of ISIL terrorists.
General Soleimani was known as the hero of the fought against the ISIL terrorist groups. How do you assess the impact of his role in the fight against ISIL in Syria and Iraq?
"Martyr Soleimani" was a heroic commander. What he did in the fight against terrorism in Syria and Iraq made him the number one hero in the fight against ISIL terrorism.
Clearly, we witnessed that this great commander played a leading role in defending Islam and Muslims. The fact is that not only General Soleimani defended Islam and Muslims but also rescued humanity.
The ISIL terrorism was a threat to everyone, however, General Soleimani protected everyone from such a danger. Thus, it is clear that he played an important role in overcoming these terrorists.
How was the assassination of General Soleimani reflect on Egypt and world public opinion?
The assassination of Sardar Soleimani and his comrades, "Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes" as well as other martyrs, shocked all their friends. The incident also affected other nations, including the Egyptian nation. The people in Egypt were also shocked by the assassination of General Soleimani.
This assassination hurt the feelings of the Arab and Islamic nations and made them very angry with Trump's stupid move.
Today, everyone knows that the US government is a completely terrorist state, due to the presence of which, even its Arab and Islamic allies are not safe.
The existence of such a terrorist regime has made the Axis of Resistance more determined to achieve victory against the colonialists, arrogant powers, and the supporters of terrorism.
The assassination of Martyr Soleimani made many young people of the Islamic Ummah think of taking revenge on terrorism and its supporters.
In your opinion, how do you assess the role of Martyr Soleimani in supporting the Resistant groups as well as uniting the Islamic Ummah?
Earlier, I mentioned the important, strategic, and influential role of Martyr Soleimani in the region and extra-regional level.
There's no doubt that Martyr Soleimai played the greatest role in defeating the Takfiri terrorism of ISIL, paving the way for the overthrow of the United States in the region.
He provided the grounds for peace, stability, and security in the region, and as a result, he played an important role in uniting the Islamic Ummah.
As you know, Martyr Soleimani was very popular among the nations of the region. Many nations in the region still love Martyr Qasim Soleimani, a year after his martyrdom. What is the main reason for such popularity?
Due to the services he rendered to the Islamic Ummah and with the role he played in the fight against terrorism, Martyr Soleimani, gained great popularity among all Islamic and independent nations.
What Martyr Soleimani did for the Islamic Ummah made all honorable people love him. In fact, all the honorable nations made this great commander their role model and beacon in the fight against terrorism and defending the path of right.
Interview by Marzieh Rahmani