The Supreme Leader made the remarks here on Wednesday when he received the organizers of a commemoration ceremony on the first martyrdom anniversary of the IRGC Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
The family of Martyr Soleimani too were among the people who met with the Supreme Leader of the Revolution.
"Those who ordered the murder of General Soleimani, as well as those who carried this out, should be punished", the Leader said, "stressing that this revenge will certainly happen at the right time."
The Supreme Leader referred to courage and resistance as outstanding characteristics of General Soleimani and said "courage and resistance are among Iranian's characteristics and despicability and passivity are against the national morale."
Excerpts from Leader's remarks as quoted by his official website, Khamenei.ir, follows:
"Millions attending Martyrs Soleimani and Abu Mahdi’s funerals in Iraq and Iran was the first severe slap to the U.S. But the worse one is overcoming the hegemony of Arrogance and expelling the U.S. from the region. Of course, revenge will be taken on those who ordered it and the murderers."
"Martyr Soleimani defeated the Front of Arrogance both during his life and with his martyrdom. The US President said they spent $7B in the region without achieving anything. The US failed to achieve its goals in Syria and Iraq. The hero behind this major task is General Soleimani."
"The martyrdom of General Soleimani is a historic incident. He is a national hero for Iranians and the Islamic nation. That's why Iranians from different backgrounds - even those least expected - honor him. He was the one who promoted the model of Resistance among Islamic nations."
"Don’t trust the enemy. We saw what the US did under Trump and under Obama against Iran. Hostilities aren't particular to Trump for them to end with him going. Obama was also malicious to the Iranian nation. The 3 European countries have displayed utter malice and duplicity too."
"Lifting sanctions is in the enemy's hands. Nullifying them is in ours. We should work more on nullifying than removing them. I don't say we shouldn't pursue removing sanctions. But sanctions that were supposed to be lifted according to the JCPOA, 4 years ago, have intensified."
General Soleimani and al-Muhandis were assassinated at a drone attack carried out by American forces near Baghdad airport a year ago.