Soleimani’s killing to deter Iran – Lebanese expert

Analysts described the killing of the commander of the Iranian elite Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, early on Friday as a “dramatic turn” in the conflict between the United States and Iran.

This turn, they said, opens the door for direct deterrence aiming at changing Iran’s conduct in the region.

“Soleimani’s killing will deter Iran,” Lebanese analyst, Richard Dagher said. “It can also encourage Iran to use all its foreign arms to stand against the United States as an alternative strategy for direct military confrontation.”

He noted that the use of Iran’s proxy organization in the showdown with the United States will increase tensions in the Middle East.

The United States, Dagher said, aims to clip Iran’s nails by weakening its affiliate militias in the region.

“Nonetheless, it is not easy to know whether the United States will be able to do this,” Dagher said.

He said killing Soleimani shows that the United States had opted for escalation against Iran. This is particularly true, he said, after the United States launched several airstrikes against the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq.

Dagher said Washington preferred calm animosity towards Iran in the past. He cited the failure of the US administration in taking any action after Iran down an American unmanned aerial vehicle a few months ago.

“The US did not do anything when Iran attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia either,” Dagher said.

He added that there is also a tactical shift in the showdown between the US and Iran.

The US will apparently focus on the killing of senior Iranian leaders in the coming days, Dagher said.

He said this is a matter of extreme symbolism.

Dagher described Soleimani as the right arm of Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.

“He implements Iran’s policies in the region,” Dagher said. “Soleimani also coordinate the work of all of Iran’s proxies in the region.”