Following a Pentagon statement that US president Donald Trump 'ordered' the attack that killed the top Iranian commander, many world leaders have responded given the now quickly escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.
Below you can find world condemnation of the heinous move which will put the world on a global risk resulting from Trump's miscalculation on regional and international developments.
Iran
Iran's Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei:
"All enemies should know that the jihad of resistance will continue with a doubled motivation, and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war,” Supreme Leader said in a statement aired by TV.
President Hassan Rouhani:
“Soleimani’s martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America’s expansionism and to defend our Islamic values.”
“With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take his revenge.”
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif:
“The brutality and stupidity of American terrorist forces in assassinating Commander Soleimani... will undoubtedly make the tree of resistance in the region and the world more prosperous,” Zarif said in a statement.
The assassination of Soleimani was “an extremely dangerous and foolish escalation.” Zarif tweeted.
“The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism,” Zarif said.
The US airstrike near Baghdad's airport that killed Iran's top general is "without any doubt is an act of state terrorism".
Mohammad Javad Zarif also called the airstrike a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.
Former IRGC commander and Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei:
“He joined his martyred brothers, but we will take vigorous revenge on America,” Rezaei, said in a post on Twitter.
Lebanon
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah: Vows to avenge Soleimani, Hamas hails his support for ‘resistance’
Hezbollah leader says group will continue on path set out by Iranian general; Damascus also blasts ‘cowardly US aggression’ in killing of top Iranian general
Hassan Nasrallah also mourned Iran’s Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani as a “master of resistance” after he was killed in a US airstrike in Iraq.
Bassem Naim, Spokesman for the Palestinian group Hamas:
Naim said on Twitter: The assassination “opens the doors of the region to all possibilities, except calm & stability. USA bears the responsibility for that.”
Iraq
Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani:
Condemned on Friday a US air strike on Baghdad airport that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and called on all parties to practice restraint.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi:
The airstrike on Baghdad airport is an act of aggression on Iraq and a breach of its sovereignty that will lead to war in Iraq, the region, and the world.
The strike also violated the conditions of US military presence in Iraq and should be met with legislation that safeguards Iraq’s security and sovereignty, he added.
Iraq PM says US strike 'flagrant violation' of security agreement with US and that it 'will spark a devastating war in Iraq.
Duty parliament speaker Hassan al-Kaabi:
An emergency parliament session is set for Saturday to discuss the U.S. airstrike.
"it is time to put an end to “US recklessness and arrogance,” adding that Saturday's session will be dedicated to taking "decisive decisions that put an end to US presence inside Iraq."
Shi'it cleric Moqtada al-Sadr:
Sadr, called on all sides to behave with “wisdom and shrewdness”.
“As the patron of the patriotic Iraqi resistance I give the order for all mujahideen, especially the Mehdi Army, Promised Day Brigade, and all patriotic and disciplined groups to be ready to protect Iraq,” he said in a statement.
Syria
A Syrian foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by the state news agency SANA:
Syria is "certain that this cowardly US aggression... will only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance's martyred leaders."
Syria has strongly condemned what it calls "treacherous American criminal aggression" that killed Iran's top general and others, warning that it constitutes a "dangerous escalation" in the region.
The Syrian foreign ministry says the attack reaffirms the U.S. responsibility for the instability in Iraq as part of its policy to "create tensions and fuel conflicts in the countries of the region."
China
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang:
China appealed for restraint from all sides, after top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a US strike in Iraq.
"We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions."
Russia
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov:
Condemned the killing of Iran's top general in a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad’s airport and said it will increase tensions throughout the Middle East.
"The killing of Soleimani.... was an adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region," news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS quoted the foreign ministry as saying.
"Soleimani served the cause of protecting Iran's national interests with devotion. We express our sincere condolences to the Iranian people."
An unnamed diplomat in the ministry told Russia’s state-run news agency TASS they consider the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani “an adventurist step."
The head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper parliament house: called the US airstrike “a mistake” that could “boomerang on its organizers.” Konstantin Kosachev in a Facebook post on Friday said the move destroyed the last hope to resolve the issues around the Iran nuclear deal.
France
France's Europe minister ," Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio:
The US killing of a top Iranian military commander has made the world "more dangerous," he said Friday, calling for efforts to de-escalate the deepening conflict in the Middle East.
"We have woken up to a more dangerous world," he said adding that President Emmanuel Macron would consult soon with "players in the region."
"In such operations, when we can see an escalation is underway, but what we want above all is stability and de-escalation," Montchalin said.
"All of France's efforts... in all parts of the world aim to ensure that we are creating the conditions for peace or at least stability," she added.
"Our role is not to take sides, but to talk with everyone," Montchalin said.
Response in the US
Trump himself has not come out with an official statement yet, but merely tweeted the picture of an American flag.
US Democratic candidate, Senator Elizabeth Warren:
She called Trump's reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:
The strike was carried out “without the consultation of Congress.” In June of 2019, Pelosi had said that action against Iran “must not be initiated” without congressional approval, after Trump had approved and then reversed a decision to strike Iran over the downing of a US drone.
“The Administration has conducted tonight’s strikes in Iraq without an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran. Further, this action was taken without the consultation of the Congress.”
US congresswoman Ilhan Omar (Democrat):
Raised the question of whether Trump is using the conflict with Iran as a distraction for his challenges within the US.
Former US Vice President Joe Biden:
“This is a hugely escalatory move in an already dangerous region... President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox, and he owes the American people an explanation of the strategy and plan to keep safe our troops and embassy personnel, our people and our interests, both here at home and abroad, and our partners throughout the region and beyond.”
US Snator Chris Murphy:
Murphy, a Democrat, said while Soleimani was “an enemy of the United States,” the killing could put more Americans at risk.
“One reason we don’t generally (assassinate) foreign political officials is the belief that such action will get more, not less, Americans killed,” Murphy said on Twitter.
“That should be our real, pressing and grave worry tonight.”
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel:
Though the attacks were ordered by the president, voices of dissent have risen from the United States.
The killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in an American air strike risks provoking a "dangerous escalation of violence", US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
"America - and the world - cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return," she added in a statement.
US lawmakers were not told in advance of the attack, a senior House Democrat said late Thursday.
The strike "went forward with no notification or consultation with Congress," Soleimani was "the mastermind of immense violence" who has "the blood of Americans on his hands," the Democratic lawmaker said.
But "to push ahead with an action of this gravity without involving Congress raises serious legal problems and is an affront to Congress's powers as a coequal branch of government," Engel added.
Reactions from Zionist regime (Israel):
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says he is cutting short a visit to Greece and returning home to follow “ongoing developments" after a US airstrike killed Iran's top general.
The Israeli army has ordered a ski resort on Mount Hermon, on the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, to close. It took no other immediate precautions.
Yair Lapid, a leader of the opposition Blue and White Party, praised the killing and said Gen. Qassem Soleimani got “exactly what he deserved.”
Yoel Guzansky, an expert on Iran at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Strategic Studies: "Iranian retaliation against US or Israeli targets was likely in the short term."
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