Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, January 7, 2020—The funeral of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian regime’s terror mastermind, which took place on Monday, January 6, was a display of the regional and international isolation of the mullahs’ regime. Soleimani, the head of the terrorist IRGC Quds Force, was killed by a U.S.-led airstrike in Iraq on January 3.
The mullahs’ efforts to turn Soleimani’s funeral into a show of solidarity and sympathy with the Iranian regime failed miserably. While the regime was burying its second-most important official, contrary to international norms, no senior official from any other country attended the ceremony.
This happens while Hassan Rouhani, the regime’s president, had been calling the leaders of neighboring countries and begging for condolences. For instance, according to state-run media, in a call to the president of Afghanistan, Rouhani had lamented, “We expect our neighbors and friends to condemn this criminal act in unison!”
Begging for support
In response to the regime’s requests, the president of Afghanistan expressed sadness from the death of Soleimani. But the move was met with severe criticism by other Afghan politicians. In a parliament session, Afghan MP Ms. Belgheis Roshan called the president’s statement “shameful,” and reminded the audience that Soleimani is responsible for the death of at least 5,500 Afghan youth sent to Syria to fight on behalf the Iranian regime.
In another instance, the Iranian regime claimed the president of Turkey had expressed condolences over the death of Qasem Soleimani. A few hours later, the spokesperson for the Turkish president denied expressing condolences over the death of the Quds Force commander or calling him a “martyr.”
Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, which were Iran’s European hopes for escaping international isolation, did not oblige the regime’s desires for sympathy either. Instead, they expressed concern over the regime’s destabilizing role in the region, especially in Iraq, and the continued acts of terrorism committed by the Quds Force, which was led by Qasem Soleimani.
The statement of the three European countries aroused the anger of the state-run Keyhan daily, widely known to be the mouthpiece of the Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei. “Important European countries have justified the martyrdom of General Soleimani by the terrorist government and army of the United States, and like other issues, they have shown hostility toward Islamic Iran in this regard,” Keyhan wrote.
Scenes of Iraqis celebrating the killing of #Iran‘s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force chief Qassim Soleimani.pic.twitter.com/AUhoSlMOg2
— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 3, 2020
The regime’s deceitful propaganda to popularize Soleimani
While social media and news outlets in different countries were filled with photos and videos of people celebrating the death of Soleimani in different countries, the Iranian regime employed its propaganda apparatus to create the impression that the people of Iran and other nations were mourning the death of Soleimani.
Because of the presence of the regime’s repressive forces, the people of Iran can’t express their happiness from this important event as others have done in Iraq and Syria. However, the people still found different ways to rejoice the death of Soleimani, celebrating in their homes and distributing pastries in parks. Videos of these celebrations were widely distributed on social media networks.
1/2
Qasem Soleimani, one of #Iran‘s most brutal criminals, was involved in massacring hundreds of thousands of people in the region & driving millions from their homes.
He masterminded attacks against PMOI/MEK members in Iraq & Iranian resistance members across the globe.— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 3, 2020
On the other hand, the regime resorted to its old methods, forcing students, military personnel and government employees to attend the funeral of its terrorist general. It brought buses filled with people from villages and smaller cities to attend Soleimani’s funeral to gather a large crowd.
Ironically, the regime did not allow the families of the martyrs of the November uprisings to hold any ceremonies and funeral for their loved ones, fearing that it would result in more anti-regime protests.
The spokesperson of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) challenged the regime to allow families of protesters to hold mourning ceremonies for their dead, and reiterated the demand of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI): “Guarantee the security of the members and supporters of the Iranian resistance and allow them to hold a march in the streets of Tehran, and you will see how they will overwhelm your entire regime.”
Good Read on #QassemSolemani‘s death.#Iranian dissidents hail #Soleimani’s death as ‘major, major blow’ for the regime in Tehran https://t.co/1iAaT5huch #FoxNews #FreeIran2020 pic.twitter.com/9Cx3tEWyT3
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 4, 2020
