The world reacts to Soleimani assassination, Israel supportive of strike

Major players in the international system reacted to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, former chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, who was killed in a US strike Thursday.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Qasem Soleimani, commander of IRGC Quds Force, with former lead Hezbollah terrorist Imad Mugniyah, allegedly assassinated by Israel and the US in 2008. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Qasem Soleimani, commander of IRGC Quds Force, with former lead Hezbollah terrorist Imad Mugniyah, allegedly assassinated by Israel and the US in 2008.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Major players in the international system reacted to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, former chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, who was killed in a US strike late Thursday in Baghdad.
In the West, reactions largely focused on calls for restraint and de-escalation. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States remains committed to de-escalation with Iran but will defend itself. He added that the United States has fortified its assets in the region and is prepared for any possible retaliation, including a cyber attack.
Canada's minister of foreign affairs, François-Philippe Champagne, issued a statement of Twitter calling on all sides "to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation."
Champagne further added that "our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq. Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, led by Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond."
In Western Europe, the UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab also called for calm in an email to Reuters after the strike, saying that "we have always recognized the aggressive threat posed by the Iranian Quds force led by Soleimani. Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests."
Similarly, France's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, called for reconciliation efforts in a more critical tone, noting "we are waking up in a more dangerous world. Military escalation is always dangerous."
A German government spokesperson also issued a statement that was more supportive of the strike, highlighting that “the American action was a reaction to a series of military provocations for which Iran is responsible,” Ulrike Demmer said during a regular government news conference.
“We also see with great concern Iran’s activities in the region. We stand before a dangerous escalation,” she said, adding that Germany would work to de-escalate the situation.
Outside the West, reactions to the Soleimani assassination were more cautious and critical.
Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the assassination of Soleimani, pointing to the potential implication of heightening tensions in the Middle East. An unnamed diplomat from the ministry told TASS news agency, a state-run enterprise, that they consider the assassination to "an adventurist step."

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China, another state that cooperates with Iran, spoke with American officials after news of the assassination broke, while also issuing statements the expressed their high degree of "concern" for the strike, in addition to calls for "calm and restraint."
In the Middle East, reactions were mixed and often dependent on their prior relations with Iran.
Iran's close ally, Syria, harshly condemned the killing, referring to the action  "treacherous, criminal American aggression." Lebanon, in which Hezbollah is a central ally and proxy of Iran, also condemned the killing, claiming that it constituted a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation. Many of Iran's proxy allies also issued strong statements of condemnation against the United States.
Two central states in the Sunni Muslim world, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the latter of which also has hostile relations with Iran, both issued calls for restraint. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement calling the international community to enhance security in the region.
Egypt echoed those statements, saying that "the Foreign Ministry is following with great concern accelerating developments in Iraq, which augur an escalation it is important to avoid. For this reason, Egypt calls for containing the situation and avoiding any escalation." Other smaller Sunni Gulf states largely echoed the statement released by Saudi Arabia,  its close ally.
Qatar, which has tried to remain neutral in the Saudi-Iran proxy conflict, and has had a tense relationship with other Gulf states in recent months due to the former's perceived support for Iran, has yet to issue a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement that was supportive of the American action, saying that "just as Israel has the right of self-defense, the United States has exactly the same right. Soleimani is responsible for the death of American citizens and many other innocent people. He was planning more such attacks. President Trump deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully and decisively. Israel stands with the United States in its just struggle for peace, security and self-defense".
Reuters contributed to this report.


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