Did the U.S. assassination of Soleimani benefit Iran?

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In Tehran, and other cities in Iran, millions gathered in the streets Monday to mourn Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani and protest his targeted killing in Iraq by the United States.

The Trump administration claims the killing was justified – based on Soleimani’s involvement with what they call terrorism and attacks against the U.S. – including last week’s militia attack against the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

But Soleimani was a senior government official, and regional reaction to his assassination has been severe.

In Iraq, the parliament has already voted to expel U.S. troops from its borders. And world leaders say the killing has recklessly destabilized the region, potentially forcing a full scale war with the U.S., and changing the rules of conflict across the globe.

To help us understand the killing of General Soleimani – and its deepening impact on the region – we were joined by Mansour Farhang. He’s an Iran analyst and professor of politics at Bennington College.