Dr. Kamal Kharazi, in the conference on “Martyr Soleimani’s School of Thought and the New World Order”, held today, indicated that general Soleimani operated as a soldier on the battlefield with high morale and no feeling of fear. He added: notwithstanding, when he saw somebody being oppressed, he lost patience as he followed the example of Imam Ali (PBUH), who was peerless on the battlefield, whereas when he saw a non-Muslim woman dispossessed of her earrings, he became severely ill as a result.

Recalling a memory, he said that during the civil war in Afghanistan between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban, we supported the Northern Alliance. The late Ahmad Shah Masoud insisted that Iran helped him by dispatching troops and liberating Herat. During a hot debate in the High National Security Council on whether or not it was in our country’s interest to enter into Afghan territory and martyr Soleinani vehemently defended our entering into Afghanistan. I, as the Foreign Minister, was against this idea. In the middle of the debate, Mr. Hejazi of the Leader’s Office brought a message from the Supreme Leader, indicating that “even if you liberate Herat, they may not be able to hold on to it. And I cannot accept that the blood of the Iranian youth is shed in this way.” Having received this message, martyr Soleimani totally submitted without demur. Of course, the Supreme Leader indicated that help should be provided to the late Ahmad Shah Masoud, enabling him to liberate Herat.

Recollecting another memory to describe martyr Soleimani’s personality, Dr. Kharrazi said: “when I was Foreign Minister, martyr Soleimani was the commander of the battlefield, and I was the commander of the diplomacy. Evidently, if two commanders are not in close contact, differences may develop. I submitted to the Supreme Leader that incessant coordination between him and me was necessary, so he could operate in the field and I could support him in the field of diplomacy. The Supreme Leader conveyed to him that “he must coordinate with the Foreign Minister.” From then on, he held weekly meetings and coordinated issues with me.

Dr. Kharazi added: I don’t recall hearing any unfulfilled promise from martyr Soleimani. Some people in charge usually make promises that won’t be kept, which is albeit, a wrong manner. Because one must make a promise when he/she is absolutely certain that will be able to fulfill it in time. Martyr Soleimani made only one promise, saying that in only three months, Daesh (ISIS) would be wiped off the face of the earth, and that promise was kept on time.

Underlining that Martyr Soleimani had multiple different personality faces; he was as much a commander as he was a diplomat. He added: he played an important role in diplomacy. Nobody else could cultivate the high degree of relationship with high-ranking officials of other countries that he did. That was Soleimani who convinced President Putin to enter Syria and provide air cover for the Syrian army in its war against terrorist groups. He was in constant contact with high-ranking leaders of Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. He achieved great success with regard to the referendum in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. He could thwart the referendum and separation of the Kurdistan region in time.

Describing Martyr Soleimani’s purity, Dr. Kharazi stressed that he had a lack of ambition. Had he run for the Presidency of the Islamic Republic, he would have certainly won; because people had trusted him. But, he never looked for positions because he considered himself a combatant who should defend the country on the battlefield.

In closing, Dr. Kharazi said: we see many resemblances between the personality of martyr Soleimani and the one of Sayad Hassan Nasrollah, the Sayad of the resistance. He added that martyr Soleimani fulfilled his duty and left us. We need first to know who he was, what he did, and why he became a role model. And second, we should follow in his footsteps and bring up our youth in a way to serve their country like him.