• Analysis.Qasem Soleimani, the shadow figure of Iran's regional influence
  • Middle East: Iran releases former US Marine after repatriation of scientist

The judiciary announced Tuesday that an Iranian citizen will be executed "soon" for his involvement in the murder of Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani. According to judicial spokesman Gholamhusein Esmaili, this is Seyed Mahmud Musavi Majd, who "has been connected to both the Mossad and CIA secret services , and has received dollars from him" for providing information "on various matters of security".

At the head of their work, according to the Judiciary, was providing them with information on the whereabouts of General Soleimani, the head of the foreign operations wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Quds Force. A US drone killed the paramilitary along with the deputy commander of the Iraqi Shiite militias, Abu Mahdi Muhandis, and five others, in an attack outside Baghdad airport on January 3.

That event brought the growing tension between Tehran and Washington to the brink of war , although the episode subsided after the missile attack that Iran launched in revenge against the Al Assad international base in western Iraq. Mass funerals in Iraq and Iran followed the murder, ordered by US President Donald Trump. In the last one, which occurred in Kermán, at least 56 people died from a stampede outside the cemetery where Soleimani was buried.

Esmaili has not released specific details of Musavi Majd's connection to the general's murder, as well as information on when or under what circumstances he was arrested. It has specified that the death sentence is issued by Section 19 of the Supreme Court, so it is final , and that it will be carried out "soon". He also has not explained whether there are other people on trial in connection with the general's murder.

Despite the deep trauma that the US attack left on the Iranian leadership, and that Trump's declared "maximum pressure" strategy has barely ceased, Iran has not completely broken bridges with the United States . The lukewarm bilateral relations, helped by the intermediation of Switzerland, have allowed in recent weeks to free a former US Marine imprisoned in Iran and repatriate to Tehran two Iranian scientists who had been in US custody for months.

On Monday, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei reiterated his offer last May to negotiate the repatriation of all his American prisoners in exchange for Iranians imprisoned by Washington. "Iran is fully prepared to exchange all prisoners, and the responsibility for its procrastination lies with the Government of the United States of America," said Rabiei at a press conference. Iran is believed to be holding three people with a US passport behind bars.

The White House has also shown signs of leaning toward dialogue, although US media have reported that the Republican caucus is preparing a new package of sanctions against Iran. Last week, after prisoner Michael White's arrival at the home, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the word "government" to refer to Iran, instead of the commonly used "regime."

Donald Trump, for his part, tweeted: "Thanks to Iran. Don't wait until after the US elections to make a Great Agreement. I am going to win. You will make a better agreement now." To which the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded by urging Trump to stick to the atomic pact, from which he withdrew in 2017, unleashing the current crisis. Tehran has hinted that it is patiently waiting for the outcome of the US elections to react. Biden was one of the architects of the comatose pact.

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