Iran has been considering 13 “revenge scenarios”; in retaliation for a U.S. strike that killed a top Iranian commander in Iraqi, Qassem Soleimani.
This was contained in a statement issued by the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Ali Shamkhani, on Tuesday, January 7.
“The Americans should know that until now 13 revenge scenarios have been discussed in the council; and even if there is consensus on the weakest scenario carrying it out can be a historic nightmare for the Americans,” Shamkhani said.
The New York Times reported Monday that Iran’s Supreme Leader; Ayatollah Ali Khamenei personally weighed in on how Iran should respond – insisting Iran directly retaliate for the killing.
The report said, “in a rare appearance at a meeting of the government’s National Security Council” hours after the killing; Khamenei said the response “must be a direct and proportional attack on American interests”; and be “openly carried out by Iranian forces themselves.”
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The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, threatened on Tuesday to “set ablaze” places; supported by the United States over the killing of Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike last week; sparking cries from the crowd of supporters of “Death to Israel!”
Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman; the hometown of the slain Soleimani.
His vow mirrored the demands of top Iranian officials; as well as supporters across the Islamic Republic, demanding retaliation against America for a slaying that’s drastically raised tensions across the Middle East
The death of Soleimani, who built up Tehran’s network of proxy forces across the region; has prompted mass mourning in Iran and led to renewed Iranian threats to drive U.S. troops from Iraq; where Tehran has vied with Washington for influence.
U.S. and Iranian warnings of new strikes and retaliation have stoked concerns about a broader Middle East conflict; and led to calls in the U.S. Congress for legislation; to stop U.S. President Donald Trump going to war with Iran.
Khamenei and top military commanders have said Iranian retaliation for the U.S. action; would match the scale of Soleimani’s killing but that it would be at a time and place of Tehran’s choosing.
