The killing of General Qassem Soleimani is the biggest crisis to erupt between the U.S. and Iran since the 1979 revolution and the occupation of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

The situation today goes far beyond the tensions we have witnessed between the U.S. and Iran in the past, and predicting what will happen next is difficult under the present circumstances.

Soon enough we’re going to be able to see signs about whether this “controlled crisis” will continue or whether a new game that will lead to a path of complete destruction will be implemented.

Completely absent was any mention of “wiping Israel off the map” from any statement, speech or threat accompanying the escalating crisis between Iran and the U.S. or Israel.

Also missing was any threat of striking the U.S. There was also no mention of a regime change in Iran or a threat of open war. Israel’s arrows against its “biggest enemy” have always missed their target.

The U.S. managed to occupy and destroy Muslim and Arab countries by taking aim at Iran. Hundreds of thousands were killed and cities were leveled to the ground. Oppressed countries and peoples became the main enemy in the process. Under the pretext of targeting Iran, Israel struck Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.

Iran on the other hand profited the most from the occupation by saying, “We will go to war with the U.S.”

Thanks to the U.S. occupation, Iran became the ruler of Iraq and saw its influence in the region grow to extreme levels. By taking aim at the U.S., it expanded its sectarian wars, and thousands of civilians were massacred just because of their “sectarian affiliation.”

The pretext of “going to war with Great Satan America” has to this day become the most important propaganda tool for Tehran since the revolution. But it left a fractured Muslim world , sectarian wars and Persian imperialism in its wake.

We of course will never side with the U.S. or Israel against Iran. This is unacceptable for any person or country in the region.

Our main principle is the following: Coming out against any attack or attempt against our region by the U.S. or any foreign country. This principle is a stance.

However, using U.S. occupations to launch another war while appearing to be “fighting the U.S.” to spread sectarian wars or Persian nationalism by indiscriminately slaughtering Muslims designated as “enemies” is not something we can accept.

No one can cover their crimes using the sins of others. Nobody can wash away their crimes using someone else’s blood. Nobody can tell the whole region “they’re fighting imperialism” while simultaneously maintaining profitable ties with that very same imperialism.

By appearing to be fighting against the U.S., Iran along with Saudi Arabia, which appears to be fighting alongside Washington, have destroyed the whole region. The battle on this inner front has paved the way to U.S. occupation and destruction.

Call it an Arab-Persian or sectarian war, this conflict will be the pretext to occupy our region. Because the U.S. needs such inner conflicts in the region to justify its occupation and support for Israel.

No one will be able to completely understand this war’s form, scale and target by siding with either Iran or Saudi Arabia.

The worst part is that the region has not yet witnessed the worst of these inner conflicts. It has until now been confined to certain countries, however, later we will witness it spreading to the whole region.

If we don’t put an end to these fronts and camps, it will engulf the region from Libya all the way to Pakistan. There will be nothing left standing, especially the Gulf of Basra, the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

What’s being planned is the reckoning of what they call a “Great War.” It’s a destruction movement that was masterminded by the West. And countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries have also assumed their positions in this grand design.

Qassem Soleimani was one of the pioneers of this kind of war. He was conducting business directly with the U.S., under the guise of U.S. hostility; he managed covert and sectarian wars in Aleppo, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and elsewhere. Then he was killed by the U.S.

When viewed from this perspective, there is a need to examine U.S.-Iranian threats that are being thrown.

When Soleimani-affiliated forces were massacring in Aleppo, we were pained so badly that we said then: “A day will come when there is no one left to wipe Iran’s tears.” Yesterday at the funeral in Tehran, upon seeing the tears being shed, including those of Khamenei’s, I was once again reminded of that. Did we have to go through all this!

After pinpointing the main issues, let’s address the hot-button topic:

The statements of Iran, affiliated organizations and the groups waging a proxy war on its behalf claim that their response would not to be limited to certain regions and countries. This means that the conflict will spread to all countries. Yes, Iran possesses the necessary power. However, the bill that Iran will foot for what’s to come may be much bigger than today’s.

Trump and the U.S. administration’s statements, on the other hand, give a broad list of targets, including “decision-makers and “cultural sites” (which I think are meant to be sacred places for Shiites).

This means that the plans for the extermination of our region will no longer be concealed. The targeting of religious and sectarian symbols turns it into a civilizational and identity reckoning that will never end.

A tweet posted by the U.S. President yesterday that read: “Iran will never possess nuclear weapons,” sent an even grimmer message. If he’s indeed not bluffing, it means Iran will become an open target for the very first time.

It would mean the days of a “controlled” U.S.-Iran conflict would come to an end. The U.S. has put an end to the established policies through Trump’s “madness.” He will also upend the policy of controlled conflict with Iran. It means he will force such an outcome. This would be a doomsday scenario!

Trump has tarnished Iran’s pride and honor by attacking and killing Qassem Soleimani, because he was a symbol of Tehran’s imperial causes in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon; maybe he was even the country’s next president

It has never occurred to Iran that an assassination targeting such a high level official would ever happen. Because it acts as if it’s the “rightful owner” of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The U.S. knows its “limits”; it was under the influence of such an intoxicating power.

What comes next?

It remains to be seen whether a full-fledged war would erupt between the U.S.-Israel and Iran. However, we will first bear witness to the most brutal of proxy wars. The longer it takes them to strike Iran directly, the smaller the threat of open war.

The reckoning will take place in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and the Persian Gulf. We will witness a showdown between Iran and Saudi Arabia on an even larger scale than the Iraq occupation and Syrian war.

The UAE and Saudi administrations’ efforts together with those of Egypt and Gulf countries to destabilize Iran could turn into a hot war. No matter the outcome, a war would again blow up Iraq and the Persian Gulf. In such a scenario, the first countries to be destroyed are the ones in the Gulf.

Any confrontation that will be marketed through sectarian wars should be opposed by the entire region. Otherwise, no country will be spared.

We of course will confront any western country, be it the U.S. or Israel, coalition or foreign force that attacks our region.

Regardless of the country, we will never turn a blind eye to any clashes inside the region, we won’t be a silent party to a war orchestrated by the West.

What’s urgent now is to defuse tensions and get them under control. If we do not, the entire region will be dragged into a doomsday scenario.