Iran marks 6th anniversary of top commander Soleimani's assassination

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Iran marks 6th anniversary of top commander Soleimani's assassination

2026-01-02 15:03 Last Updated At：01-03 11:33

Iran held a memorial event in Tehran on Thursday to mark the sixth anniversary of the U.S. killing of top commander Qassem Soleimani.

Soleimani, former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on Jan 3, 2020. Iran condemned the killing as an act of "state terrorism".

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the event and delivered a speech. He said that the United States and Israel, while pride themselves on civilization, democracy, and freedom, are engaging in state terrorism, using their governments' power to carry out assassinations. He emphasized that the real perpetrators are the United States and Israel themselves. Iran will continue to steadfastly follow its own path, resolutely opposing oppression and violence, said the president.

At the memorial event, Iranian people waved national flags, held aloft portraits of Soleimani and other officials, and chanted anti-U.S. and anti-Israel slogans.

People said that the history of the United States is filled with hegemony and aggression, and that the United States and Israel are the main causes of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

"For over two centuries, the United States has been involved in wars wherever they occur. So unfortunately, wherever the United States is, it brings insecurity. Look at what it has done in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq; each time it has various pretexts," said Hussein, a participant at the event.

"The policies of the United States and colonialists have always been about bullying and plundering the world, especially the countries in this region. We must always steadfastly uphold our own policies, unite as one, and never abandon one another," said Mahmoud, another participant.

Iranians said that Iran will not fear big powers and any adventurous actions by its enemies will be met with a severe response.

UN chief renews call for U.S., Israel to stop war against Iran

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday reiterated his call for the United States and Israel to stop the war against Iran, and for Iran to stop attacking its neighbors.

Noting that the impacts of the conflict are being felt everywhere, Guterres warned that the world is on the edge of a wider war that would engulf the whole Middle East with dramatic impacts around the globe.

The secretary-general said that "the Middle East crisis has lurched into its second month", and warned that the scale of devastation, indiscriminate attacks, and targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure are all growing.

"My message is clear. To the United States and Israel, it is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences. To Iran, to stop attacking their neighbors. The Security Council has condemned these attacks and reaffirmed the need to respect navigational rights and freedoms along critical maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicts do not end on their own. They end when leaders choose dialog over destruction. That choice still exists, and it must be made now," he said.

Guterres said diplomatic efforts are underway to find a peaceful path forward, which "deserve the space and support to succeed -- anchored firmly in international law, including the UN Charter".