The African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday, condemned a series of airstrikes, reportedly by the United States, that killed the Commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, General Qassem Soleimani.
Soleimani — a top general and one of the most powerful men in Iran — was killed in a drone strike at Baghdad airport on Friday. One of his advisers, top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the attack.
“We view this latest in-humane episode as an attack on the sovereignty and self-determination of the people of Iran. The ANC rejects this raw aggression against the people and government of Iran, which has the potential to plunge the Middle East and the World into a full-scale war. History has shown that the majority of the victims of this kind of international terrorism are the elderly, women and children. Young people also suffer serious displacement with the prospect of a bleak future,” ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said in a statement.
“The ANC and all progressive formations of the world cannot afford to remain silent while the actions of the U.S appear to be undermining peace and security with impunity – a clear and deliberate erosion of Iran’s national stability. We urge the nations of the world, through the United Nations, to act firmly and expeditiously against this act of international terrorism. We urge all parties to this conflict to give peace a chance. We appeal for maximum restraint.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday afternoon that the airstrike was ordered “to stop a war” and prevented attacks on Americans.
“Suleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him,” Trump said, speaking to reporters from his resort in West Palm Beach, Fla. “We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war.”
The ANC Secretary-General Magashule his party would continue to “play a critical role in the continent and the Global Progressive Movement”.
“The ANC rejects right-wing and populist-led unilateralism that undermines collective global decision-making. These are an affront to multilateralism by which peace and social justice will be created within and between countries. We reiterate our call to the international community and the progressive people of the world to defend any nation against the unilateral imposition of economic sanctions, unilateral military attacks and disrespect of its territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the statement read.
“Together, we carry a responsibility to build, preserve and maintain peace in the world. The ANC stands ready to work with all peace-loving nations of the world to find lasting continental and global peace.”
