Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the United States “not to abuse force” and seek solutions through dialogue, in a call with his Iranian counterpart, reported China’s state media.
China reacted a day after a US strike ordered by President Trump killed top Irani commander Qassem Soleimani, who was head of an elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards responsible for its global presence. Soleimani was killed at an international airport in Baghdad, triggering outrage in Iran.
Iran declared a three-day mourning period for Soleimani and warned that ‘severe revenge’ will be taken against those who killed him, referring to the US.
“Martyrdom was the reward for his ceaseless efforts in all these years,” Iran´s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Twitter, declaring three days of mourning.
“With him gone, God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped, but severe revenge awaits the criminals who bloodied their foul hands with his blood and other martyrs´ in last night´s incident.”
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Tehran to protest against American “crimes”, an AFP correspondent reported, after US strikes killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad the same day Soleimani was killed.
Chanting “Death to America” and holding up posters of the slain commander Qasem Soleimani, the demonstrators filled streets for several blocks in central Tehran after Friday prayers.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the commander of its Quds Force foreign operations arm had been killed by US forces in Baghdad.
