Washington DC (USA) | Jagran News Desk: A day after the UD killed Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Commander General Qassem Soleimani in an air strike, President Donald Trump defended his killed and said that "reign of terror is over" and claimed Qasem Soleimani had contributed to "terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London."
"The recent attacks on US targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
"Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London. Today we remember and honour the victims of Soleimani's many atrocities and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over," he said.
Recommended For You
Also Read | Day after Soleimani's killing, US conducts fresh strikes against pro-Iran convoy in Iraq; kills at least 6
The US President also alleged that the Iranian General was trying to destabilise the Middle East for the last 20 years.
"What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved. Just recently Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government," Trump said.
Trump, however, claimed that the killing of Soleimani "won't trigger a war in the Middle East" and said that the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours, must end now.
"We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war. I have deep respect for the Iranian people. They are a remarkable people with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential. We do not seek regime change," Trump said.
"However, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbours, must end and it must end now. The future belongs to the people of Iran, those who seek peaceful co-existence and cooperation, not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad," he added.
Trump said at his direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the "number one terrorist" anywhere in the world.
Also Read | Explained: Deadly US strike on Iranian commander intensifies tensions in Gulf, how it effects India
"Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him," he said.
"Under my leadership America's policy is unambiguous to terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American. We will find you. We will eliminate you. We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans and our allies," Trump added.
The US on Friday killed Soleimani and seven others in a drone strike near the Baghdad International Airpot. The strike against Soleimani came days after the US President threatened Tehran after Iraqi supporters of pro-Iranian regime factions laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad, following deadly American air strikes on a hardline Hashed faction.
(With PTI inputs)