‘We’re looking to kill Trump…’: Iran Commander warns to avenge Soleimani killing

"We are looking to kill Donald Trump," a top Revolutionary Guards commander warned the former US President and other two officials while speaking about the country's repeated threat to avenge the US killing of a top Iranian Commander, according to the news agency Reuters. 

However, the commander clarified that Iran did not intend to kill "poor soldiers" when it launched a ballistic missile attack on US-led forces in Iraq days after Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in 2020 in Baghdad.

In a television interview, Hajizadeh said, “God willing, we are looking to kill Trump. (Former Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo ... and military commanders who issued the order (to kill Soleimani) should be killed.”

This came after Iran developed a cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km, in a move likely to raise Western concerns after Russia's use of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war, said Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace force.

"Our cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km has been added to the missile arsenal of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Hajizadeh, told state TV. 

Iranian leaders have often vowed to avenge Soleimani on strong terms. The country has expanded its missile program, particularly its ballistic missiles, in defiance of opposition from the United States and expressions of concern by European countries. 

Iran has said it had supplied Moscow with drones before the war in Ukraine. Russia has used drones to target power stations and civilian infrastructure.

In November, the Pentagon said the United States was skeptical of reports quoting Hajizadeh as saying Iran had developed a hypersonic ballistic missile.

Soleimani headed the expeditionary Quds force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

(With Reuters inputs)