IRAN’S AMBASSADOR to Ireland has drawn comparisons between slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Irish revolutionary Michael Collins.

Speaking to The Irish Sun from Iran’s embassy in south Dublin, diplomat Masoud Eslami said both Soleimani and Collins were “icons of resistance and bravery” for their respective nations.

He highlighted the comparison in an attempt to explain the “pain and sorrow” many Iranians have felt in the wake of Soleimani’s death.

The Iranian military leader was killed in a targeted US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3 which was approved by US President Donald Trump.

Eslami said: "I may refer to the kind of feeling and respect that the people of Ireland have towards general Michael Collins as a legendary icon of resistance and bravery who devoted his life to fight against foreign domination and foreign-sponsored terrorism."

"They have devoted their life, and they have been icons of resistance and bravery in repelling the foreign intervention, which undermined their security, their prosperity. There are a lot of similarities that should be drawn upon."


In the wake of the drone attack, Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

Just hours later, a Ukrainian passenger jet was brought down in a crash Western leaders suspected was a direct result of the Iranian missile strikes.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has since confirmed that they did "unintentionally" shoot down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 , killing all 176 people on board, describing it as an “unforgivable mistake".