A top White House adviser on Iran said that if deceased Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s replacement continues to kill Americans, he will also be targeted.
Speaking to Asharq al Awsat while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook warned new Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani against following in Soleimani’s footsteps.
“If Ghaani continues the approach of killing Americans, he will meet the same fate,” Hook said. “For years, President Trump has been clear that any attack on Americans or American interests will be met with a decisive response.”
Hook, 51, added that the drone strike that killed Soleimani is proof that Trump would not hesitate to respond to attacks against Americans. Before he was killed in early January, Soleimani, 62, was a powerful figure in the Iranian regime who coordinated with violent militia groups across the Middle East and is responsible for the deaths of more than 600 U.S. troops.
“We will hold the regime and its agents responsible for any attack on Americans or American interests in the region,” Hook said.
The day after Soleimani was killed, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that Ghaani would take the commander’s place. Ghaani previously was the deputy commander of the Quds force. Khamenei said during the announcement that the force would “be unchanged from the time of his predecessor” under Ghaani’s leadership.
Days later, Ghaani launched into bellicose rhetoric against the United States as Soleimani’s funeral was underway. He has also vowed to “rid the region of America.”
“God the Almighty has promised to take martyr Soleimani’s revenge,” Ghaani said.
