Alwaght-In renewed efforts to polarize the Iranian society, Western media outlets have created a media hype on the alleged candidature of Iran’s renowned Major General Qassem Soleimani in the country’s upcoming presidential elections.
It is in response to these unfounded rumors and innuendos, General Soleimani issued a statement on Thursday to clarify on the issue and thus deal a blow to those with the evil intent of dividing top Iranian officials.
Reports of alleged General Soleimani’s candidature in Iran’s May 2017 Presidential elections first appeared in a United States based think tank, Stratfor, whose founder, George Friedman, is an avowed Zionist. In a report published early May this year, the Pro-Israeli think tank mentioned Major General Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force as a possible option to replace incumbent President Hassan Rouhani. This report has since been picked and replicated in several Western and reactionary Arab media outlets.
Some elements inside Iran, lacking insight, have also echoed the sentiments of the well-orchestrated Western-Zionist media campaign aimed at polarizing the Iranian society at this critical juncture in national, regional and international developments.
Creating a wedge between Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and General Qassem Soleimani and generally sowing discord among high ranking Iranian officials is top on the agenda of Arab and Western adversaries of the Islamic Republic.
Well aware of such intrigues, in mid-May President Rouhani praised General Soleimani and referred to him as an old acquaintance and a hero. In a speech during a visit to General Soleimani’s home province of Kerman, President Rouhani added that, “My acquaintance and friendship with General Soleimani dates back to years of imposed war.”
Polarizing Iran to divert attention from Syria, Iraq
Among the objectives pursued by those attempting to polarize the Iranian nation and officials is to divert attention from the ongoing war on foreign-backed Takfiri terrorist groups in Syria, Iraq and other regional conflicts including the Saudi-led aggression on Yemen.
Western media outlets and their regional lackeys have also been trying to create a false image of the existence of two opposing factions in the Islamic system of Iran by implying that some officials back resistance movements in the region while being opposed to the recent nuclear agreement reached between Tehran and six world powers. Nothing could be further from the truth since leaders of all echelons in Iran approved the nuclear deal known as The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and continue to support regional resistance movements.
Major General Soleimani’s Statement
Dismissing rumors of his alleged plans to run as a candidate in the upcoming Iran’s presidential elections, General Soleimani underscored that he will always remain a simple soldier serving Iran and the Islamic Revolution.
"…those in the front of the enemies of the revolution and the holy Islamic Republic always make their remarks with the aim of sowing discord and inspiring confrontation among the united and integrated lines of the revolutionary and brave people (of Iran), which should never be heeded", General Soleimani said.
"I urge all my dear brothers and sisters to avoid paying any attention to the enemies' deceptive and divisive remarks and never allow the valuable time of those people at the service of the nation be spent for the ominous goals of the enemies," General Soleimani added.
His remarks came after veteran Pro-Zionist US diplomat Dennis Ross raised some allegations against General Soleimani in an interview with the English section of the Saudi-owned London-based political news journal Majalla. He claimed that following successful missions in Iraq and Syria, General Soleimani has become influential and is set to run against President Rouhani in the upcoming elections.
General Soleimani’s response reinforces national unity
The timely rebuttal by General Soleimani is set to increase his popularity while reinforcing national unity and cohesion among all state organs in Iran.
An important point in the general’s response is his emphasis on being a simple soldier which is considered a lofty position among the masses, the revolution and the leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranian officials have continued to show unflinching support to the leadership under the late Imam Khomeini and his successor, Ayatullah Ali Khamenei decades since the victory of the Islamic Revolution and thus thwarting endless foreign plots to polarize the country.
General Soleimani remains a legendary figure not just for Iranians but even among Muslims worldwide due to his heroic exploits in the ongoing battle against the enemies of Islam and foreign-backed Takfiri terrorist groups in the region. General Soleimani has thwarted the enemies latest soft war operation aimed at igniting internal discord by maintaining that he is a simple soldier serving the nation and the Islamic Revolution leader while reiterating that he has no interest in running for political office.
