MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th January, 2020) The sharp disagreements between countries that support Washington, and those that back Tehran, regarding the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) elite Quds Force, could potentially trigger a sectarian conflict between Shia and Sunni Muslims, Pakistani Senator Sehar Kamran told Sputnik.
The politician stated that US President Donald Trump will seek to portray the attack as a heroic act in order to bolster his domestic support at the start of the election year.
"However, its consequences will be much worse than anticipated. The divided response from pro-Iran and pro-USA countries will give rise to a sectarian divide between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, which will further aggravate the situation," Kamran said.
Kamran warned that both sides must show restraint in the immediate aftermath of the attack, but also stated that Iran might take its time in order to react to the US attack.
"Iran might not react in haste and might not opt for immediate retaliation or direct attack. However, proxies and militia groups can attack and damage US interests / assets," the senator added.
In the early hours of Friday, Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of an Iraqi Shia militia group, were among those killed by a US drone attack near Baghdad International Airport.
US President Donald Trump said the recent strikes were a preemptive, defensive move to prevent war. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that Tehran will take revenge for what it views to be a heinous crime.
