Tensions between US and Iran continue to escalate after US airstrike kills Qasem Soleimani

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Iran is getting ready to hold services for slain general Qasem Soleimani, who was revered as one of the country's most powerful men.

People have flooded the streets in the city of Ahvaz, some waving large flags and banners. Earlier in the day, Soleimani's body arrived at Ahvaz International Airport.

In the Iranian Parliament, politicians wore black shirts as the session started Sunday, with members shouting condemnations and threats at the US.

It's important to remember: While the US saw Soleimani as the head of a terrorist organization, many in Iran considered him as a hero. Iran is holding three days of mourning for his death.

Shopping malls throughout Iran will be closed on Monday -- the third day of mourning -- while exams at the University of Tehran will be postponed.

Here's what the streets of Ahvaz look like:

The sequence of events that culminated in the killing of Qasem Soleimani arguably began on May 8, 2018, when President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the international nuclear pact with Iran.

"This was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made," Trump said as he withdrew from the deal. "It didn't bring calm, it didn't bring peace, and it never will."

The other parties to the deal -- China, Russia, the Europeans and Iran -- disagreed and stayed the course. But the reimposition of draconian sanctions by the US, sanctions that had been largely lifted as Iran's reward for signing up to the deal, gnawed away at its credibility. 

As tensions grew, the agreement known as the JCPOA began to fray at the edges.

Now, the prognosis for the JCPOA looks poor. At best it's in intensive care; at worst it may struggle to survive the year.

Read more about the events that led up to Soleimani's death -- and the prognosis for the nuclear deal here.

There are already crowds on the streets of the Iranian city of Ahvaz ahead of top general Qasem Soleimani's funeral, which is set to begin in about two hours.

Live feeds posted on Twitter from Press TV -- an English-language Iranian broadcaster -- show large numbers of people gathering.

The bodies of Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis arrived at Ahvaz International Airport early Sunday.

Although the US blames Soleimani for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members, the deceased Quds Force commander is revered in Iran and his death in a US strike on Friday has prompted an outpouring of grief.

Here's the scene in Ahvaz:

In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump has reiterated his warning to Iran not to retaliate in the aftermath of Friday's deadly strike on Qasem Soleimani.

Claiming the US had "just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment," Trump added in an early Sunday tweet: “If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way...and without hesitation!”

Iran has vowed revenge for the drone strike on its top general in Baghdad. On Saturday, the spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, said Iran will patiently set up a plan "to respond to this terrorist act in a crushing and powerful manner."

In a tweet on Saturday night, Trump wrote: "They attacked us, and we hit back. If they attack again, which I would strongly advise them not to do, we will hit them harder than they have ever been hit before!"

In Iran, he was a hero -- brave, charismatic and beloved by the troops. But to the United States, Qasem Soleimani was a ruthless killer.

Soleimani -- who was killed Friday by a US airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump -- was a controversial figure.

One of Iran's most powerful men, he headed the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, an elite unit that handles Iran's overseas operations -- and one deemed to be a foreign terrorist organization by the US.

Soleimani started his front line military career in the Iran-Iraq war during the early 1980s. He went on to become an indispensable figure in Iran, and played an instrumental role in spreading its influence in the Middle East.

There's been an outpouring of grief for him in Iran, which is holding three days of mourning. His funeral will be held later on Sunday.

Read more about him here.

The bodies of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary deputy leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis arrived in Iran's Ahvaz International Airport early Sunday local time, according to FARS News.

Both were killed in Baghdad on Friday by a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump.

Iran has declared three days of mourning for Soleimani, who as head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force unit was considered a national hero in the country. His funeral will be held later Sunday.

Here's the scene in Ahvaz:

National security adviser Robert O'Brien appeared on Fox News Saturday, defending the US strike that killed top Iran general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.

Here's what he said:

Intelligence ahead of the strike

O'Brien defended the intelligence received before Friday's attack, saying it was “very solid."

"Soleimani was traveling around the region working out a plan to attack Americans with his proxy allies, with Iran’s proxy allies, and Syria and Lebanon and in Iraq. We had the intelligence ... that he was in the process of planning these attacks and we acted to defend American lives.”

"Terrific Iranian provocation"

O'Brien said Trump had previously shown “incredible restraint in the face of terrific Iranian provocation" -- but the death of a US civilian contractor in a rocket attack on a base near Kirkuk, Iraq, on December 27 was a red line.

“They finally killed an American and wounded others in an attack on December 27th, so the President was very restrained in his approach to the Iranians, they finally crossed a red line,” he said.

Warnings against retaliation

O'Brien warned Iran against retaliating, saying if “they decide to move forward against the United States, there will be severe consequences.”

Iran had already vowed revenge for the US attack on its top general Qasem Soleimani. Now, it is vowing it will respond in a "crushing and powerful manner."

"(Iran) will set up a plan, patiently, to respond to this terrorist act in a crushing and powerful manner," the spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, said Saturday.

“We are the ones who set the time and place of our reciprocal response."

Shekarchi said Iran’s response to the US will incorporate offensive strategies beyond defense measures. Shekarchi -- who is also a senior commander with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- said Tehran will defend the "axis of resistance" with all its might.