Two former Mossad chiefs and a former national security council chief have claimed that Iran so far has failed to avenge Qasem Soleimani's death and would be unlikely to take any action until US President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post.
Former Mossad director Shabtai Shavit noted that the assassination of Tehran's top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakrhizadeh, in November was "a double blow against Iran's military activity in the Middle East" and that the current commander of the Quds Force, Esmail Ghaani, isn't at the same level as his predecessor.
"Some say they are not useful because one goes and the next one comes into line and replaces him… the level of talent of the one who entered his [Soleimani's] shoes disproves that argument", he said.
Apart from that, Shavit noted that "the Iranians' patience is never-ending":
"We must take into account that they will respond. They will wait for an opportunity to attack a high quality target".
Ex-Mossad director Danny Yatom, in turn, suggested the Quds Force hasn't recovered from Soleimani's death and doubted that it ever would.
Former National Security Council Chief and Maj. Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland assumed that any action by Tehran would only occur after Biden takes office.
"They won't forget to retaliate. Maybe the timing will be not when they are in negotiations with the Americans…They would be foolish to carry out an attack [during negotiations] just because they have an opportunity. But they are very shrewd people, you can't underestimate them", he said.
IRGC Spokesman General Ramezan Sharif earlier underlined that it is Iran who will determine the time and place of revenge for Soleimani's assassination.
"This revenge must have the greatest impact on the enemy and gain the most support from the Islamic world", he stated, as cited by Mehr News.
As The Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are preparing for a potential attack by Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif previously tweeted that "Israeli agent-provocateurs" were preparing an attack against the US, and warned outgoing US President Donald Trump to be "careful for a trap" after POTUS accused Tehran of being behind a missile attack on the American Embassy in Baghdad on 20 December.
A day ahead of the anniversary of Soleimani's death, Zarif promised that Tehran would "not rest" until it brings the people responsible for his killing to justice.
On 3 January 2020, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, was assassinated in a targeted US drone strike while his car was departing the Baghdad International Airport, a move directly approved by outgoing US President Donald Trump.
In response, Tehran launched missile attacks on two US military bases in Iraq - the Ayn al-Assad base and the Erbil airbase - attacks that subsequently led to traumatic brain injuries of some 100 American soldiers.
Last week, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Baqeri reiterated that there was no "expiry date" for taking revenge on Soleimani's killers, saying that a US withdrawal from the Middle East was inevitable.