Iran Press/Africa: Bashiru Ahmed Saani, the leader of Youth Leadership Advocacy Ghana and Director of Cultural Affairs at the Cultural Consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Accra, highlighted the late general's enduring legacy in an exclusive interview with Iran Press.
“General Soleimani was seen as the most powerful figure in Iran after its Supreme Leader. As commander of the Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, Soleimani was an architect of Iranian policy across the Middle East,” Saani remarked.
He elaborated on Martyr Soleimani’s ability to foster unity across diverse groups, saying, “General Soleimani was not only a brilliant strategist but a presence for positive change. With the trust that the Iraqis, Syrians, and Lebanese people had in him, they were able to rally behind his message to defend their countries against terrorism. With him out of the way, those who once looked to him as a pillar of resistance no longer have that central figure to trust and unite against the evil we all know.”
Saani emphasized the broader implications of Martyr Soleimani’s assassination, warning of escalating tensions across the West Asia. “Since the martyrdom of General Soleimani, there is a greater threat of broader war in the region and increased risks to economic stability. No terrorist operated freely when General Soleimani was alive, but now, we can all see what is happening,” he said.
Reflecting on the general’s vast contributions, he stated, “It is impossible even to list the innumerable services offered by martyr Soleimani during his prolific life in various levels and fields.”
General Soleimani, often described as a master strategist, led Iranian efforts to counter terrorist groups such as ISIS, saving thousands of lives in the process. His assassination on January 3, 2020, near Baghdad International Airport—ordered by then-U.S. President Donald Trump—sparked international condemnation. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the former head of the Iraqi popular mobilization units, was also martyred in the same attack.
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