Zarif to Al-Ahed: Martyr Soleimani’s Assassination to Boost the Resistance’s Determination

By Mokhtar Haddad

Tehran – The Islamic Republic of Iran celebrates this year the 41st anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. It has been more than four decades of resistance against the global arrogance. The sons of the blessed Islamic Revolution have foiled the US and Zionist schemes against peoples in the region, with Lieutenant General Martyr Qassem Soliemani being the most prominent symbol of this confrontation.

Marking the occasion, which falls this year on the fortieth day on the martyrdom of Hajj Qassem Soleimani and his comrades, al-Ahed News website conducted an exclusive interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif who elaborated on the latest developments in the region.

In a question regarding the so-called ‘Deal of the Century’, whose architects are US President Donald Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who insisted on announcing their plot, and specifically related to the Arab and Islamic official and popular reactions to announcing it, Zarif said he believes one dimension of what happened is related to both American and ‘Israeli’ elections.

“Both ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump are in dire need of an electoral victory to remain in their posts,” Zarif said, adding that “perhaps each of them needs the victory of one another.”

Zarif went on to explain that “Trump needs Netanyahu to win in the elections, and the latter needs Trump to remain in power. This is why it was a good opportunity for them to support one another to fulfill their personal ambitions on the one hand and preserve their supporters at home on the other hand, in addition to supporting their allied.”

This is only one reason behind announcing the ‘Deal of the Century’ at this specific time, Zarif stressed.

The top Iranian diplomat, meanwhile, noted that the weak reaction of some Arab leaders reveal that the Americans have been lately aware that those Arab leaders, who set their destiny at the hands of the US and the Zionist entity, won’t dare and could never show any serious reaction had this very ridiculous agreement been announced.

“It is not only unrealistic, but also totally unrelated to politics,” Zarif told al-Ahed, adding that “Those leaders have neglected a legal and political project about the rights of an entire nation by announcing this plot, which is in fact a mere business trade that emphasizes the occupation’s ownership.”

This, Zarif went on to say, indicates that some Arab head of states have dangerous calculations regarding their ties with the US and the Zionist entity, which must be mended.

According to the Iranian foreign minister, the Arab world’s reaction was very clear. It was full of range and anger towards the US’ announcement of this plot. On the other hand, Zarif explained, this reaction revealed public frustration from some Arab head of states who accepted the ‘deal’ and agreed that the US be a mediator in the Palestinian cause.

One of the biggest mistakes committed by the Arab World since 1990 and since accepting the Oslo and Madrid agreements, is agreeing that the US be a mediator, Zarif said.

“The US has been aligned to a certain party on the Palestinian issue and has never been a mediator in solving this cause.”

Zarif told al-Ahed that the Palestinians today have reached a fact that the US is not a mediator in the Palestinian cause and is clearly aligned with certain party; it is indeed aligned with it vey extremely.

In response to al-Ahed’s question whether the Islamic Republic has been weakened by the martyrdom of Hajj Qassem Soleimani, in which it has lost one of its cards of power, which made pressurizing it and negotiating with it easier than before, Zarif said martyr Soleimani has represented Iran’s stance in the entire region.

He explained that assassinating Hajj Qassem Soleimani in this coward manner by the Americans is a big loss to the entire region and all those calling for peace in the world. However, Zarif stressed, after the martyrdom, we’ve witnessed what is going on in the region, namely in Iraq, Iran and some other countries.

“All eyes now are on the US destructive policy in the region,” Zarif stated, noting that “this must be used in strengthening the axis of resistance as per the Leader of the Revolution has said.

His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei stressed that this martyrdom will boost the determination of the Palestinians and the axis of resistance against the hostile and dangerous steps taken by the US in the region.

This also indicated the extent of the people’s valuation of those who sacrifice their souls for their sake.

Relatively, Zarif commented on the role of martyr Soleimani and his comrades on the track of the axis of resistance, stressing that they have always been inspirers.

“Their martyrdom has made clear that the path of altruism and martyrdom is the right path to confront the hegemony of the global arrogance.”

Zarif concluded his interview with al-Ahed News as saying that the martyrdom of Hajj Qassem Soleimani and his comrades was fruitful and that their blood is still alive. He also stressed that those who committed the crime of assassinating them will definitely be confined to the ash heap of history, which was clear in Trump’s misfire and tearing up the ‘Deal of the Century’ script by speakers of Islamic countries.

To read the Arabic version, click here