5 January

The body of an Iranian military commander killed in Iraq by the United States has arrived in Iran, with a funeral and other memorial events scheduled across the nation.

Iranian media report that a coffin containing the remains of General Qassem Soleimani entered the southwestern city of Ahvaz on Sunday morning. They say hundreds of people including military troops and government officials gathered for the arrival. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of mourning after Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Photos of Soleimani have been put up along a major street in central Tehran. Movie theaters across Iran have suspended business, and concerts are canceled. A senior officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has indicated the possibility of retaliation. Iranian media quotes the officer as warning that Iran can target 35 important US facilities in the region.

US President Donald Trump, who ordered the airstrike, warns that the United States has targeted 52 Iranian sites that it would strike if Iran attacks Americans or US assets.—

NHK