Shouting "The United States is the great Satan," thousands of people participated in Baghdad on Saturday in the funeral procession of Iran's chief general and Iraqi insurgent leaders killed in an American air strike on the eve. General Qassem Soleimani, head of the Iranian elite group Quds Force and architect of the security strategy of the Islamic Republic abroad, died early Friday in an attack in the immediate vicinity of the airport of the Iraqi capital that has raised tensions in the region.
Iran promised to respond harshly to the attack, which raised fear of a possible total war. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, said he ordered the operation to avoid a conflict. The White House said Soleimani was preparing a series of attacks that endangered US officials and soldiers, but offered no evidence.
A US-led coalition official in Iraq said the contingent reduced its operations and reinforced "security and defensive measures" at the bases where they are staying. The person in charge spoke on condition of anonymity in compliance with the body's regulations. Washington sent 3,000 reinforcement soldiers to the region.
Soleimani was the architect of the Iranian regional militia mobilization policy in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, including in the war against the extremist Islamic State group. He is accused of attacks against US troops and allies since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Funeral attendees, mostly men in black military uniforms, carried flags of Iraq and militias backed by Tehran, which were extremely loyal to Soleimani. They also mourned the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a leading Iraqi militia commander who was a victim of the same operation.
The march began at the temple of Imam Kadhim in Baghdad, one of the most important sites in Shia Islam. The massive entourage toured the streets next to the militia vehicles in a solemn procession. The participants, many of them crying, sang "No, no, United States" and "Death to the United States, death to Israel." Mohammed Fadl, one of those in mourning, said the funeral is a sign of loyalty to fallen leaders: "This is a painful blow, but it will not shake us."
Two helicopters controlled the procession, which was attended by Iraq's Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and guerrilla leaders sponsored by Iran. The gates of the Green Zone of Baghdad, where there are government buildings and embassies, including the American one, were closed.
In a climate of high tension throughout the region, an air attack was reported at night against a convoy of militiamen supported by Iran in northern Baghdad. Hours later, both the Iraqi army and the Washington-led coalition denied the incident. The Popular Mobilization Forces, a group that brings together most of the proIran groups, and security sources reported an air strike in Taji, north of the capital. An Iraqi security source said five people died and two vehicles were destroyed. It was not immediately clear if there had been any kind of explosion.
Iraq, which is a close ally to both Washington and Tehran, condemned the attack that killed Soleimani and added that it was a violation of its sovereignty. The parliament is scheduled to hold an extraordinary session on Sunday and the government was under increasing pressure to expel the 5,200 soldiers seated in the nation to help prevent the reappearance of the Islamic State. The United States ordered all its citizens to leave Iran and closed its embassy in Baghdad, which at the beginning of the week was assaulted by militiamen sponsored by Iran and its followers in two days of protests before the complex.
"Maximum pressure"
No one was injured in the protests, which were a response to US airstrikes that killed 25 militiamen in Iraq and Syria. Washington explained that this operation was the replica of a rocket attack that killed a US contractor in northern Iran, blamed by the militias. The attack on Soleimani came after months of growing tensions between the two nations following Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the 2015 nuclear pact and resume the crippling economic sanctions.
The “maximum pressure” campaign led Iran to openly abandon the commitments contemplated in the agreement. The United States blames Iran for a wave of attacks in the region, including sabotage of tankers in the Persian Gulf and an attack on the Saudi Arabian oil industry in September that caused the temporary reduction of its production by half.
The Islamic Republic denies its involvement in these actions, although it acknowledged having shot down a US surveillance drone in June that allegedly violated its airspace. World powers warned on Friday that the murder of Soleimani could lead to a dangerous new escalation and many called for moderation.
In Iran, leading newspapers and state television focused on the death of the general on Saturday, and even reformist newspapers such as Aftab-e Yazd warned that "revenge is on its way." On the main streets, posters appeared with the image of Soleimani, many with the warning of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Jamenei, that a "strong revenge" awaits the United States.
Iran's president Hasan Ruhani, a relatively moderate politician, visited Soleimani's house in Tehran to present his condolences. "The Americans do not realize the great mistake they have made," said the president. "You will see the effects of this criminal act, not only today but in the coming years."
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