World Reaction

“There is no doubt that the great nation of Iran and the other free nations of the region will take revenge for this gruesome crime from criminal America.”

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Iran President Hasan Rouhani

“Wow - the price of killing and injuring Americans has just gone up drastically.”

US Senator Lindsey Graham

“This action can seriously aggravate the situation in the region.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin

“This is a moment in which leaders must exercise maximum restraint. The world cannot afford another war in the Gulf.”

UN chief Antonio Guterres

“President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox. Iran will surely respond. We could be on the brink of a major conflict across the Middle East.”

Former US vice president Joe Biden

Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins... will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide.”

Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah

China appeals for restraint

“China has always opposed the use of force in international relations,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a press briefing. “We urge the relevant sides, especially the United States, to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalating tensions.” He said Iraq’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected.

Adventurist step: Russia

“The killing of Soleimani... was an adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region,” the Russian foreign ministry was quoted as saying by news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee of parliament’s upper house, said Soleimani’s killing was a mistake that would hit back at Washington. “Retaliatory strikes will certainly follow,” he said on Facebook.

Cowardly US aggression: Syria

Syria is “certain that this cowardly US aggression... will only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance’s martyred leaders,” a foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by state news agency SANA.  The strike was “part of the (US) policy aiming to create tensions and fuel conflict in countries in the region”.