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Iran Insists on ‘Punishing Those Responsible’ for Soleimani’s Death

Iranian Foreign Minister meets the European Coordinator of the Vienna talks in Tehran on March 27 (AFP)
Iranian Foreign Minister meets the European Coordinator of the Vienna talks in Tehran on March 27 (AFP)
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Iran Insists on ‘Punishing Those Responsible’ for Soleimani’s Death

Iranian Foreign Minister meets the European Coordinator of the Vienna talks in Tehran on March 27 (AFP)
Iranian Foreign Minister meets the European Coordinator of the Vienna talks in Tehran on March 27 (AFP)

Iranian Attorney-General Jafar Montazeri on Sunday said that his country would continue to follow-up on the assassination of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani by a US army airstrike. Montazeri said the pursuit would carry on until all those responsible are held accountable.

“The judicial file is multifaceted, affecting both the Iraqi and Iranian government, and the hegemonic countries,” official media quoted Montazeri as saying.

He noted that the Iraqi government had “taken steps” but that the progress was beneath expectations.

“We will not leave the follow-up of the file until the completion of this case, even if it takes years,” said Montazeri, noting that “the file has international dimensions and takes time.”

The United States will not remove the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) unless Tehran pledges to cease its death threats against US officials for the killing of the IRGC's Qassem Soleimani, a source close to the Vienna talks has told Radio Farda.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, President Ebrahim Raisi, and IRGC officials have repeatedly vowed to avenge Soleimani's death.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Radio Farda that Tehran's last-minute demand for delisting the IRGC is currently the biggest hurdle in the way of an agreement to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran’s foreign minister told the United Nations (UN) chief on Sunday that “the ball is in the US’ court” with regards to restoring the 2015 nuclear deal, adding that the negotiations were “close” to reaching an agreement, Iran’s state media reported.

According to state media, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the ceasefire in Yemen and the nuclear talks.

Making the remarks in a phone conversation with Guterres, Amir-Abdollahian said Iran has submitted its proposals concerning the remaining unresolved issues to the US through Enrique Mora, the European Union (EU) coordinator for the Iran nuclear talks.

Guterres expressed his hope that Iran and world powers would soon reach an agreement at the nuclear talks in Vienna which have been underway for over a year. The foreign minister responded that Iranian demands have already been made clear, and that it is now up to the US to make a final decision.

The key sticking point is Iran’s demand for sanctions on its Revolutionary Guard be removed, in turn removing the group from the US list of foreign terrorist organizations.

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Taiwan Demonstrates Sea Defenses against Potential Chinese Attack as Tensions Rise with Beijing

A Taiwan navy Tuo Chiang-class corvette(rear) and Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat (front) maneuver during a drill in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 09 January 2025. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO
A Taiwan navy Tuo Chiang-class corvette(rear) and Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat (front) maneuver during a drill in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 09 January 2025. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO
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Taiwan Demonstrates Sea Defenses against Potential Chinese Attack as Tensions Rise with Beijing

A Taiwan navy Tuo Chiang-class corvette(rear) and Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat (front) maneuver during a drill in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 09 January 2025. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO
A Taiwan navy Tuo Chiang-class corvette(rear) and Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat (front) maneuver during a drill in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 09 January 2025. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO

Taiwan on Thursday demonstrated its sea defenses against a potential Chinese attack as tensions rise with Beijing, part of a multitiered strategy to deter an invasion from the mainland.
The island’s navy highlighted its Kuang Hua VI fast attack missile boats and Tuo Chiang-class corvettes in waters near Taiwan’s largest port of Kaohsiung, a major hub for international trade considered key to resupplying Chinese forces should they establish a beachhead on the island.
The Kuang Hua VI boats, with a crew of 19, carry indigenously developed Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles and displayed their ability to take to the sea in an emergency to intercept enemy ships about to cross the 44-kilometer (24-nautical mile) limit of Taiwan’s contiguous zone, within which governments are permitted to take defensive action.
China routinely sends ships and planes to challenge Taiwan’s willingness and ability to counter intruders, prompting Taiwan to scramble jets, activate missile systems and dispatch warships. Taiwan demanded on Wednesday that China end its ongoing military activity in nearby waters, which it said is undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and disrupting international shipping and trade.
Mountainous Taiwan's strategy is to counter the much larger Chinese military with a relatively flexible defense that can prevent Chinese troops from crossing the strait. Landing sites are few on Taiwan's west coast facing China, forcing Beijing to focus on the east coast.
Hsiao Shun-ming, captain of a Tuo Chiang-class corvette, said his ship’s relatively small size still allows it to “deliver a formidable competitive power” against larger Chinese ships. The Tuo Chiang has a catamaran design and boasts high speeds and considerable stealth ability.
Taiwan has in recent years reinvigorated its domestic defense industry, although it still relies heavily on US technology such as upgraded fighter jets, missiles, tanks and detection equipment. US law requires it to consider threats to the island as matters of “grave concern,” and American and allied forces are expected to be a major factor in any conflict.
Thursday's exercise “demonstrates the effectiveness of asymmetric warfare, and Taiwan’s commitment to defense self-reliance,” said Chen Ming-feng, rear admiral and commander of the navy’s 192 Fleet specializing in mine detection. “We are always ready to respond quickly and can handle any kind of maritime situation.”
China's authoritarian one-party Communist government has refused almost all communication with Taiwan's pro-independence governments since 2016, and some in Washington and elsewhere say Beijing is growing closer to taking military action.
China considers Taiwan a part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, while most Taiwanese favor their de facto independence and democratic status.