Addressing a large gathering of worshipers in Tehran on Friday, Ayatollah Khatami paid tribute to martyrs defending the holy Shiite shrines, saying Martyr Mohsen Hojaji proved that the third generation of Iranian youth after the 1979 Islamic Revolution is steadfast in reaching the revolution’s objectives.

The cleric further expressed his gratitude to world-renowned Iranian commander Major General Qassem Soleimani for his major role in the fight against Takfiri groups in Syria and said, “Harsh revenge awaits them (Daesh terrorists).”

The corrupt group (Daesh) is fighting against God and the Prophet, Ayatollah Khatami said, adding that God willing, the terrorists, particularly the one who killed Martyr Hojaji, will be annihilated.

The shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, a sister of Imam Hossein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, is located in Damascus. Iranian military advisers have played a decisive role in the protection of the holy shrine against terrorist attacks.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh, currently controlling parts of it.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

In the meantime, Iran has remained a close ally of Syria and supports its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy.