We can do it too: Iran parliament designates US forces in Iraq as ‘terrorists’

Tehran: Iran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday designating all US forces as "terrorists" over the killing of its top Iranian military commander Gen Qassem Soleimani in a US strike last week. The measure appears to mirror a decision by President Donald Trump in April to declare the Revolutionary Guard a “terrorist organization.”

Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes.

Gen Soleimani’s funeral in his home town of Kerman was attened by a large number of people.

Speaking at the funeral, the leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened to “set ablaze” places supported by the United States to avenge the assassination of the nation’s top general Qassem Soleimani. His threat sparked cries “Death to Israel!” from the crowd.

Hossein Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman, hometown of the slain Gen. Soleimani.

Soleimani's remains and those of the others killed in the airstrike were brought to a central square in Kerman, a desert city surrounded by mountains that dates back to the days of the Silk Road where he will be buried later on Tuesday.

Salami praised Soleimani's exploits and said as a martyr, he represented an even greater threat to Iran's enemies. “We will take revenge. We will set ablaze where they like,” Salami said, drawing cries of “Death to Israel!”

Iran's parliament, meanwhile, passed an urgent bill declaring the U.S. military's command at the Pentagon in Washington and those acting on its behalf “terrorists,” subject to Iranian sanctions.