In a context of strong tensions with the United States, the Iranian Supreme Guide, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared, Friday January 17, that the tragedy of the Ukrainian plane shot down on January 8 in Tehran should not make forget the 'Sacrifice' General Qassem Soleimani, eliminated by the United States in Baghdad, five days earlier.
Qualifying the air disaster "Bitter accident" who "Burned our heart" and offering condolences to the families of the victims, the ayatollah nevertheless held, after several days of anti-power demonstrations in Iran, that "some (Had) try to (Use) so that (make) forget the great martyrdom and sacrifice ” from Soleimani.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave an important speech during the weekly Muslim large prayer at the Mosalla mosque in Tehran, which he had led for the first time since February 2012.
The Iranian armed forces admitted that they accidentally shot down a Ukrainian International Airlines Boeing 737 shortly after takeoff from Tehran. The 176 people on board the plane, mostly Iranians and Canadians, perished in the disaster. The drama and the time – three days – taken by the Iranian armed forces to admit their responsibility have provoked since Saturday scattered demonstrations of anger against the authorities in Tehran and in other cities.
"Firmness" and "resistance" in the face of the country's enemies
Praising the action of Soleimani outside the country's borders for the " security " of the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Khamenei said the people were in favor of "Firmness" and some "Resistance" against the enemies of the country.
On January 3, the United States, Iran's sworn enemy, killed in a drone attack in Baghdad General Soleimani, a leader of the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's ideological army, and architect of the strategy of regional influence of the country. And to ask:
"These few hundred people who insulted the portrait of General Soleimani, are these the people of Iran? Or the crowds of millions on the streets? "
The Iranian number one seemed to be referring to demonstrators who allegedly tore up a portrait of the general in Tehran and to the huge crowds who moved around the remains of Soleimani after his return to the country.
Khamenei also accused the United States of " lie " when they say they support the Iranian people, saying that they are basically only looking for "stabbing (people) with (their) poisoned dagger ».
Missile fire
The United States and Iran appeared on the verge of direct military confrontation in early January, for the second time in less than a year. On January 8, Tehran fired missiles at military targets sheltering Americans in Iraq in retaliation for the elimination by Washington of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, architect of Iran's regional influence strategy, the January 3 in Baghdad.
Iran has obtained "Military compensation" wanted for the death of Soleimani with his strikes against bases used by the American army. These have caused significant material damage. After the attack, the United States claimed that there were no casualties in the strikes. But the military finally announced on Thursday that eleven American soldiers had been injured.
The tension between the two enemies, however, seems to have subsided after the drama of the downed Boeing. A general of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, assumed full responsibility for the tragedy and claimed that it was caused by the operator of a missile battery who flew for a "Cruise missile".
While Iranian President Hassan Rohani defended his policy of international opening on Thursday and said he wanted to continue to dialogue with the West on the Iranian nuclear program, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that Iran was not hostile to negotiations, but that the Islamic Republic would not negotiate with the United States.
