Iraq Tens of thousands of protesters chanted slogans critical of the United States at the center of Baghdad to commemorate the one-year murder of Iranian General Soleimani.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi supporters of Iran, many of whom dressed in black, flocked to Tahrir Square in the heart of Baghdad today to commemorate General Qassem Soleimani, the special commander of Quds of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

Protesters brought portraits of General Soleimani, Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and eight people killed in the airstrike.

Many people on the night of January 2 gathered near the Baghdad International Airport, at the site where Soleimani's convoy was under airstrikes, killing him.

Celebrations of Soleimani's murder were also held in Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and parts of the Middle East.

Regional tensions have risen in recent days as US military leaders are concerned about the danger of Tehran attacking in retaliation as President Donald Trump, who ordered airstrikes, prepares to leave the White House.

President Trump also added oil to the fire when he asked his subordinates to submit a plan to attack Iran's nuclear facilities in mid-November 2020.

The US military increased forces in the region by sending nuclear submarines USS Georgia to the Persian Gulf, and twice deployed B-52 bombers to patrol the Middle East in December 2020.

Iran's Foreign Ministry official said the country did not want to increase tensions, but warned the danger if the US and Israel were on a military adventure.