Iran has announced an indictment targeting the US government and 73 military officials concerning the death of General Qassem Soleimani, according to Iranian state media reports on Sunday. Soleimani was killed in a drone strike ordered by former US President Donald Trump on January 3, 2020.

Tehran’s judiciary chief announced that a 164-page indictment has been filed against the United States government and 73 American military officials and statesmen, notifying them to appoint legal representatives. The case has been referred to the Tehran Criminal Court, and the trial will be held publicly. According to Article 217 of the Iranian Criminal Procedure Code, cases that do not have a ‘divine component’ may take place in the absence of the accused.

The drone strike that killed Soleimani sparked a series of retaliatory actions from Iran. In response, Iran withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, although the Trump administration had already unilaterally withdrawn from the agreement two years prior. Additionally, Iran labeled the US military and the Pentagon as terrorist organizations.

In what was considered a largely symbolic gesture, Iran initially imposed sanctions on several former senior US officials, including former President Trump in 2021, who do not possess assets listed within Iran. In 2022, former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also called for Trump to be held legally accountable for the strike.