Ronaldo7
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They had an empire.
America's empire is barely anything.
America has pretty tough rivals such as Russia and China.
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Contact the PP Team
Top Iran commander Soleimani killed in US strike on Baghdad; Iran issues arrest warrant for Trump
- Thread starter IAJ
- Start date
They had an empire.
America's empire is barely anything.
America has pretty tough rivals such as Russia and China.
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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s military denied on Saturday an air strike had taken place on a medical convoy in Taji, north of Baghdad.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of paramilitary groups had said earlier on Saturday said that an air strike targeting its fighters hit a convoy of medics.
However, the PMF later issued another statement saying that no medical convoys were targeted in Taji.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-took-place-on-saturday-in-taji-idUSKBN1Z3075
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of paramilitary groups had said earlier on Saturday said that an air strike targeting its fighters hit a convoy of medics.
However, the PMF later issued another statement saying that no medical convoys were targeted in Taji.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-took-place-on-saturday-in-taji-idUSKBN1Z3075
this might be slightly off topic, but you also should consider how america controls the whole world in terms of culture. american culture has been injected into every country on this planet.
america is responsible for changing socieities and westernizing and liberalizing third world countries through media.
Ronaldo7
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That is very true.
Abdullah719
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Rockets target Baghdad's Green Zone, base housing US troops
Several rockets fell inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, its Jadriya neighbourhood, and the Balad air base housing US troops on Saturday, the Iraqi military said.
Two mortar rounds hit the Iraqi capital's Green Zone and two rockets slammed into a base housing US troops on Saturday, a day after a deadly US strike killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a clutch of other Iranian and Iraqi figures.
In Baghdad, mortar rounds hit the Green Zone, the high-security enclave where the US embassy is based, security sources said.
Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from the Iraqi capital, said none of these projectiles landed inside the US embassy.
"According to Iraqi security forces, the projectiles landed in the celebrations areas inside the Green Zone," he said.
A pair of Katyusha rockets then hit the Balad airbase north of Baghdad, where American troops are based, security sources and the Iraqi military said.
Security sources reported blaring sirens and said surveillance drones were sent above the base to locate the source of the rockets.
"No casualties were reported in all three incidents but their storage area has been hit," Al Jazeera's bin Javaid said.
The US embassy in Baghdad, as well as the 5,200 American troops stationed across the country, have faced a spate of rocket attacks in recent months that Washington has blamed on Iran and its allies in Iraq.
Last month, one attack killed a US contractor working in northern Iraq, prompting retaliatory American air strikes that killed 25 hardline fighters close to Iran.
Tensions boiled over on Friday when the US struck Soleimani's convoy as it drove out of the airport and US diplomats and troops across Iraq had been bracing themselves for more rocket attacks.
On Friday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saidSoleimani's death would intensify Tehran's resistance to the US and Israel.
Abuhamzeh, the Revolutionary Guards commander in Kerman province, mentioned a series of possible targets for reprisals including the Gulf waterway through which about a third of the world's shipborne oil is exported to global markets.
"The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there," Abuhamzeh was quoted as saying on Friday evening by the semi-official news agency Tasnim.
"Vital American targets in the region have long since been identified by Iran ... some 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach," he said, referring to Israel's largest city.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...zone-base-housing-troops-200104175916421.html
Several rockets fell inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, its Jadriya neighbourhood, and the Balad air base housing US troops on Saturday, the Iraqi military said.
Two mortar rounds hit the Iraqi capital's Green Zone and two rockets slammed into a base housing US troops on Saturday, a day after a deadly US strike killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, top Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a clutch of other Iranian and Iraqi figures.
In Baghdad, mortar rounds hit the Green Zone, the high-security enclave where the US embassy is based, security sources said.
Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from the Iraqi capital, said none of these projectiles landed inside the US embassy.
"According to Iraqi security forces, the projectiles landed in the celebrations areas inside the Green Zone," he said.
A pair of Katyusha rockets then hit the Balad airbase north of Baghdad, where American troops are based, security sources and the Iraqi military said.
Security sources reported blaring sirens and said surveillance drones were sent above the base to locate the source of the rockets.
"No casualties were reported in all three incidents but their storage area has been hit," Al Jazeera's bin Javaid said.
The US embassy in Baghdad, as well as the 5,200 American troops stationed across the country, have faced a spate of rocket attacks in recent months that Washington has blamed on Iran and its allies in Iraq.
Last month, one attack killed a US contractor working in northern Iraq, prompting retaliatory American air strikes that killed 25 hardline fighters close to Iran.
Tensions boiled over on Friday when the US struck Soleimani's convoy as it drove out of the airport and US diplomats and troops across Iraq had been bracing themselves for more rocket attacks.
On Friday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saidSoleimani's death would intensify Tehran's resistance to the US and Israel.
Abuhamzeh, the Revolutionary Guards commander in Kerman province, mentioned a series of possible targets for reprisals including the Gulf waterway through which about a third of the world's shipborne oil is exported to global markets.
"The Strait of Hormuz is a vital point for the West and a large number of American destroyers and warships cross there," Abuhamzeh was quoted as saying on Friday evening by the semi-official news agency Tasnim.
"Vital American targets in the region have long since been identified by Iran ... some 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach," he said, referring to Israel's largest city.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...zone-base-housing-troops-200104175916421.html
Manager101
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This is going to get worse unfortunately.
Savak
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Americans were butchered in Iraq were they lost 5000 troops and another 30000 in life time injuries. These are just the official figures, the unofficial figures are even higher.
Americans will be butchered alive again should they be forced into a guerrilla war with Iran. The Americans like to start a war but don't have the stomach for a prolonged street to street guerrilla warfare.
Americans will be butchered alive again should they be forced into a guerrilla war with Iran. The Americans like to start a war but don't have the stomach for a prolonged street to street guerrilla warfare.
Americans will not send ground troops. They will just bully using air strikes, drones and giving money to whoever is willing to fight. This is what they have been doing in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. As usual the local population has the most to lose from any conflict that arises.
Saeed
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Yeah right, they can’t even control ISIS without American air support but lets target US facilitates. That will help them a lot.
PetroDollars
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Guerilla warfare is not the same anymore, when an american drone can cover every inch of Iran.
They wont even dare to put a foot on iranian soil because they know they wont win, they will just do hit and runs and missile attacks, which may prove to be very costly especially with a recession due in USA.
However i dont believe they will get too much involved with Iran, they will just light the match and put iran and wahabi states at war with each other and get other afgan groups and isis to do all the dirty work.
Mamoon
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They can always count on us for support. The major disadvantage for them in Iraq was that it does not share a border with Pakistan.
The only complication here is that Balochistan is already owned by China, so they are not going to be too pleased with Pakistan allowing U.S. to establish a base.
It will also create a problem for Pakistan, but that is what you get when you are a mercenary and your two employers do not like each other.
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President Trump has warned the US is "targeting" 52 Iranian sites and will strike "very fast and very hard" if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets.
His comments followed the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in a drone strike.
Iran has vowed to avenge his killing.
Mr Trump wrote on Twitter that Iran "is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets" in response to the general's death.
He said the US had identified 52 Iranian sites, some "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if Tehran strikes at the US.
"The USA wants no more threats!" Trump added.
The president said the 52 targets represented the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran for more than a year from late 1979, after they were seized at the US embassy in Tehran.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50996602
His comments followed the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in a drone strike.
Iran has vowed to avenge his killing.
Mr Trump wrote on Twitter that Iran "is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets" in response to the general's death.
He said the US had identified 52 Iranian sites, some "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if Tehran strikes at the US.
"The USA wants no more threats!" Trump added.
The president said the 52 targets represented the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran for more than a year from late 1979, after they were seized at the US embassy in Tehran.
Shortly after Mr Trump's tweets, the website of a US government agency appeared to have been hacked by a group calling itself "Iran Cyber Security Group Hackers".
A message on the American Federal Depository Library Programme site read: "This is a message from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"We will not stop supporting our friends in the region: the oppressed people of Palestine, the oppressed people of Yemen, the people and the Syrian government, the people and government of Iraq, the oppressed people of Bahrain, the true Mujahideen resistance in Lebanon and Palestine, [they] will always be supported by us."
The web page contained a doctored image of President Trump, depicting him being hit in the face and bleeding at the mouth.
"This is only small part of Iran's cyber ability!" [sic], the hackers wrote.
What happened earlier on Saturday?
Mr Trump's tweets followed a huge funeral procession for General Soleimani held in Baghdad, where he was killed on Friday.
Mourners waved Iraqi and militia flags and chanted "death to America".
Several rocket attacks shook the area shortly after the procession, including one in the Green Zone near the US embassy. The Iraqi military said nobody had been hurt.
No group has yet said it was behind the development. Pro-Iranian militants have been blamed for other recent attacks.
Soleimani's body arrived back in Iran on Sunday, the country's IRIB news agency reported.
With Iran already threatening harsh reprisals for the killing of the Quds Force commander, President Trump has clearly determined that the best way to de-escalate is to raise the stakes in advance, making clear what will happen if Tehran follows through on its threats.
The Trump tweet is curious in many ways - not least the symbolic mention of 52 Iranian targets being held at risk - a reference to the 52 US hostages seized in the US Embassy in Tehran back in November 1979.
His mention of targets important "to the Iranian culture" suggests a much wider target list than just leadership, military or economic sites.
President Trump is struggling to establish some kind of deterrence. But the ball is now very clearly in Iran's court and it is very hard to see how Tehran can fail to act.
Mr Trump has pursued a contradictory policy ever since he abandoned the nuclear agreement with Tehran - increasing economic pressure, threatening military action, but actually doing very little, even when Iran shot down a sophisticated US drone and struck oil installations in Saudi Arabia.
Above all, he has repeatedly underscored his and Washington's fatigue with its military involvement in the region. This as much as anything else has undermined US deterrence, something Mr Trump is now seeking, belatedly, to restore.
Why did the US kill Soleimani?
General Soleimani was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran, behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The 62-year-old spearheaded Iran's Middle East operations as head of the elite Quds Force, and was hailed as a heroic national figure.
But the US branded the commander and the Quds Force terrorists, holding them responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US personnel.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, President Trump said Soleimani was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" on US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
The general was killed by an air strike at Baghdad airport early on Friday, on the orders of President Trump. The president said the action was taken to stop, not start, a war.
Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei said "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the US attack. Soleimani's death would double "resistance" against the US and Israel, he added.
Iraqis are also mourning the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group and was killed along with Soleimani.
The group issued a warning to Iraqi security forces to "stay clear of American bases by a distance not less [than] 1,000m (0.6 miles) starting Sunday evening", al-Mayadeen TV reported.
In response to Iranian threats of revenge, the US has sent 3,000 more troops to the Middle East and advised its citizens to leave Iraq.
On Saturday the White House sent the US Congress formal notification of Friday's drone strike - in line with a 1973 law that states the administration must alert Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to immediate or imminent military action.
It was expected to clarify the authority under which the strike was launched, and the expected type and duration of military involvement. The notification is classified.
Nancy Pelosi, the top Congressional Democrat, said it "prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran".
A message on the American Federal Depository Library Programme site read: "This is a message from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"We will not stop supporting our friends in the region: the oppressed people of Palestine, the oppressed people of Yemen, the people and the Syrian government, the people and government of Iraq, the oppressed people of Bahrain, the true Mujahideen resistance in Lebanon and Palestine, [they] will always be supported by us."
The web page contained a doctored image of President Trump, depicting him being hit in the face and bleeding at the mouth.
"This is only small part of Iran's cyber ability!" [sic], the hackers wrote.
What happened earlier on Saturday?
Mr Trump's tweets followed a huge funeral procession for General Soleimani held in Baghdad, where he was killed on Friday.
Mourners waved Iraqi and militia flags and chanted "death to America".
Several rocket attacks shook the area shortly after the procession, including one in the Green Zone near the US embassy. The Iraqi military said nobody had been hurt.
No group has yet said it was behind the development. Pro-Iranian militants have been blamed for other recent attacks.
Soleimani's body arrived back in Iran on Sunday, the country's IRIB news agency reported.
With Iran already threatening harsh reprisals for the killing of the Quds Force commander, President Trump has clearly determined that the best way to de-escalate is to raise the stakes in advance, making clear what will happen if Tehran follows through on its threats.
The Trump tweet is curious in many ways - not least the symbolic mention of 52 Iranian targets being held at risk - a reference to the 52 US hostages seized in the US Embassy in Tehran back in November 1979.
His mention of targets important "to the Iranian culture" suggests a much wider target list than just leadership, military or economic sites.
President Trump is struggling to establish some kind of deterrence. But the ball is now very clearly in Iran's court and it is very hard to see how Tehran can fail to act.
Mr Trump has pursued a contradictory policy ever since he abandoned the nuclear agreement with Tehran - increasing economic pressure, threatening military action, but actually doing very little, even when Iran shot down a sophisticated US drone and struck oil installations in Saudi Arabia.
Above all, he has repeatedly underscored his and Washington's fatigue with its military involvement in the region. This as much as anything else has undermined US deterrence, something Mr Trump is now seeking, belatedly, to restore.
Why did the US kill Soleimani?
General Soleimani was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in Iran, behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The 62-year-old spearheaded Iran's Middle East operations as head of the elite Quds Force, and was hailed as a heroic national figure.
But the US branded the commander and the Quds Force terrorists, holding them responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US personnel.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, President Trump said Soleimani was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" on US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
The general was killed by an air strike at Baghdad airport early on Friday, on the orders of President Trump. The president said the action was taken to stop, not start, a war.
Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei said "severe revenge awaits the criminals" behind the US attack. Soleimani's death would double "resistance" against the US and Israel, he added.
Iraqis are also mourning the death of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group and was killed along with Soleimani.
The group issued a warning to Iraqi security forces to "stay clear of American bases by a distance not less [than] 1,000m (0.6 miles) starting Sunday evening", al-Mayadeen TV reported.
In response to Iranian threats of revenge, the US has sent 3,000 more troops to the Middle East and advised its citizens to leave Iraq.
On Saturday the White House sent the US Congress formal notification of Friday's drone strike - in line with a 1973 law that states the administration must alert Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to immediate or imminent military action.
It was expected to clarify the authority under which the strike was launched, and the expected type and duration of military involvement. The notification is classified.
Nancy Pelosi, the top Congressional Democrat, said it "prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran".
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50996602
Mamoon
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Trump, the so called leader of the free world is targeting cultural and historical sites. It is something that you would expect from the ISIS commander.
last_knight
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This is a landmark post. I shall remember it.
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Boris Johnson is preparing to return to the UK amid mounting criticism over his failure to cut short his Caribbean holiday to address soaring tensions in the Middle East.
The prime minister, who has been celebrating the New Year with his girlfriend on the private island of Mustique, has so far not commented on the US airstrike that killed Iran's top general.
https://news.sky.com/story/iran-cri...der-fire-over-caribbean-holiday-stay-11901352
The prime minister, who has been celebrating the New Year with his girlfriend on the private island of Mustique, has so far not commented on the US airstrike that killed Iran's top general.
Expected back in Downing Street in the coming hours, Mr Johnson is under mounting pressure from opposition leaders to make a statement on the killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani.
A government source defended the prime minister, saying "he's been kept fully up to date" including by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab "at all times".
"And he will be meeting with ministers on Monday and speaking to foreign leaders over the next few days," they said.
Jeremy Corbyn said the "assassination" risks "an extremely serious escalation of a dangerous conflict with global consequences by a belligerent US president".
"Boris Johnson should have immediately cut short his holiday to deal with an issue that could have grave consequences for the UK and the world," the outgoing Labour leader added.
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is running to lead Labour, asked "is he afraid of angering Trump?" in an article in The Observer.
"Or is it simply that, as he lounges in the Caribbean sun, he simply does not care, an exact duplicate of the blasé approach to Iran that he took in 2018 - when he was foreign secretary and Trump was driving the nuclear deal to destruction - and the previous year when he recklessly jeopardised the fate of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe?"
The US has sent 3,000 extra troops to Kuwait after Iran threatened revenge over President Donald Trump's authorisation of the attack in Baghdad on Friday.
Mr Raab is expected to meet his French and German counterparts during the week before speaking to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Thursday.
He has called for calm and urged all aggressors to de-escalate following the killing of the head of Iran's elite Quds Force and mastermind of regional security strategy.
Travel advice to Britons across the Middle East has been strengthened, while the Navy will begin accompanying UK-flagged ships through the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier Labour's John McDonnell vowed during an anti-war protest at Downing Street to press Mr Johnson over the attack, which will "set the Middle East and the globe alight yet again".
A government source defended the prime minister, saying "he's been kept fully up to date" including by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab "at all times".
"And he will be meeting with ministers on Monday and speaking to foreign leaders over the next few days," they said.
Jeremy Corbyn said the "assassination" risks "an extremely serious escalation of a dangerous conflict with global consequences by a belligerent US president".
"Boris Johnson should have immediately cut short his holiday to deal with an issue that could have grave consequences for the UK and the world," the outgoing Labour leader added.
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who is running to lead Labour, asked "is he afraid of angering Trump?" in an article in The Observer.
"Or is it simply that, as he lounges in the Caribbean sun, he simply does not care, an exact duplicate of the blasé approach to Iran that he took in 2018 - when he was foreign secretary and Trump was driving the nuclear deal to destruction - and the previous year when he recklessly jeopardised the fate of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe?"
The US has sent 3,000 extra troops to Kuwait after Iran threatened revenge over President Donald Trump's authorisation of the attack in Baghdad on Friday.
Mr Raab is expected to meet his French and German counterparts during the week before speaking to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Thursday.
He has called for calm and urged all aggressors to de-escalate following the killing of the head of Iran's elite Quds Force and mastermind of regional security strategy.
Travel advice to Britons across the Middle East has been strengthened, while the Navy will begin accompanying UK-flagged ships through the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier Labour's John McDonnell vowed during an anti-war protest at Downing Street to press Mr Johnson over the attack, which will "set the Middle East and the globe alight yet again".
Manunited18
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100% bang on
Abdullah719
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! 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!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213689342272659456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Manager101
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After all this, If people still think that we are not living in an 'age of oppressors' at its highest peak then they should keep on watching disney movies till death.
Cpt. Rishwat
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Drone technology is available to Iran as well. What would happen if they started deploying it in a similar fashion to the US?
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Ahead of an anti-America rally expected to take place in Karachi on Sunday afternoon, various roads in the metropolis have been closed for traffic.
Addressing a joint press conference on Saturday, parties of the Millat-e-Jafria Pakistan said an anti-American rally will be held at 3pm on Sunday in order to protest the killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani and Hashed al-Shaabi deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US drone attack. They condemned America's "terrorist attacks" in Iraq.
The rally will be staged from Karachi Press Club to the US consulate.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526437/major-karachi-roads-closed-for-traffic-ahead-of-anti-america-rally
Addressing a joint press conference on Saturday, parties of the Millat-e-Jafria Pakistan said an anti-American rally will be held at 3pm on Sunday in order to protest the killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani and Hashed al-Shaabi deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US drone attack. They condemned America's "terrorist attacks" in Iraq.
The rally will be staged from Karachi Press Club to the US consulate.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Islamabad has issued a countrywide security alert.
According to an alert issued on Friday, the embassy said: "Given possible reactions to recent events in Iraq, the US Embassy has restricted travel by US government employees. US government personnel in Pakistan are required to postpone non-essential official movements and most personal movements. US citizens in Pakistan should monitor their surroundings for possible demonstrations and suspicious activity."
They said actions to take include avoiding crowds, keeping a low profile, being aware of surroundings, reviewing personal security plans and exercising caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.
The additional secretary of the Sindh Home Department on Saturday also wrote a letter for the enhancement of the security of American and Iranian establishments/installations addressed to the Sindh inspector general of police, Pakistan Rangers Sindh Headquarters and all commissioners in Sindh.
"I am directed to refer to the Ministry of Interior letter [...] on the subject noted above and to request for enhanced security arrangements for the Iranian and US Nationals and establishments in the current security scenario in order to avoid any untoward incident," the letter read.
Ahead of the rally expected in Karachi, according to a press release issued by the spokesperson of the Karachi Traffic Police, MT Khan Road, Mai Kolachi Road, Aiwan-e-Saddar Road and Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road (from Khajoor Chowk to Dr Ziauddin Ahmed traffic signal) will be completely closed for traffic.
The police shared alternative traffic routes:
Those who want to go from Jinnah Bridge to MT Khan Road should use Tower- II Chundrigar Road
Those who want to go from Mai Kolachi to MT Khan Road should travel from Boat Basin via KPT Underpass, Teen Talwar route
Those who want to go from Shaheen Complex via Clifton, Lily Bridge, PIDC should use right side of the Ziauddin traffic signal — Hoshing Chowk, Abdullah Haroon Road, Fawara Chowk, MR Kiani Road
Those who want to go from Aiwan-e-Saddar towards Shaheen Complex from Metropole, Fawara Chowk should travel on left side of Fawara Chowk — MR Kiani Road to Shaheen Complex
Those who want to go from Shahrah-e-Faisal, Metropole towards PIDC should travel on right side of Fawara Chowk via MR Kiani Road or left side of Abdullah Haroon Road, Hoshing Chowk
Those who want to go from II Chundrigar to PIDC or Aiwan-e-Saddar should use Fawara Chowk, Avari traffic signal
Maj Gen Soleimani was killed on Friday morning in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.
Following this, the Foreign Office via a statement had expressed "deep concern" over the tensions, urging all sides to exercise restraint.
"Pakistan has viewed with deep concern the recent developments in the Middle East, which seriously threaten peace and stability in the region," said the FO in a statement.
"Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, which should be adhered to," the statement said, adding that it is "important to avoid unilateral actions and use of force".
The statement had urged all parties involved to "exercise maximum restraint, engage constructively to de-escalate the situation, and resolve issues through diplomatic means, in accordance with UN Charter and international law".
Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa in a call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had emphasised the "need for maximum restraint and constructive engagement" following the killing of Soleimani.
According to an alert issued on Friday, the embassy said: "Given possible reactions to recent events in Iraq, the US Embassy has restricted travel by US government employees. US government personnel in Pakistan are required to postpone non-essential official movements and most personal movements. US citizens in Pakistan should monitor their surroundings for possible demonstrations and suspicious activity."
They said actions to take include avoiding crowds, keeping a low profile, being aware of surroundings, reviewing personal security plans and exercising caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.
The additional secretary of the Sindh Home Department on Saturday also wrote a letter for the enhancement of the security of American and Iranian establishments/installations addressed to the Sindh inspector general of police, Pakistan Rangers Sindh Headquarters and all commissioners in Sindh.
"I am directed to refer to the Ministry of Interior letter [...] on the subject noted above and to request for enhanced security arrangements for the Iranian and US Nationals and establishments in the current security scenario in order to avoid any untoward incident," the letter read.
Ahead of the rally expected in Karachi, according to a press release issued by the spokesperson of the Karachi Traffic Police, MT Khan Road, Mai Kolachi Road, Aiwan-e-Saddar Road and Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road (from Khajoor Chowk to Dr Ziauddin Ahmed traffic signal) will be completely closed for traffic.
The police shared alternative traffic routes:
Those who want to go from Jinnah Bridge to MT Khan Road should use Tower- II Chundrigar Road
Those who want to go from Mai Kolachi to MT Khan Road should travel from Boat Basin via KPT Underpass, Teen Talwar route
Those who want to go from Shaheen Complex via Clifton, Lily Bridge, PIDC should use right side of the Ziauddin traffic signal — Hoshing Chowk, Abdullah Haroon Road, Fawara Chowk, MR Kiani Road
Those who want to go from Aiwan-e-Saddar towards Shaheen Complex from Metropole, Fawara Chowk should travel on left side of Fawara Chowk — MR Kiani Road to Shaheen Complex
Those who want to go from Shahrah-e-Faisal, Metropole towards PIDC should travel on right side of Fawara Chowk via MR Kiani Road or left side of Abdullah Haroon Road, Hoshing Chowk
Those who want to go from II Chundrigar to PIDC or Aiwan-e-Saddar should use Fawara Chowk, Avari traffic signal
Maj Gen Soleimani was killed on Friday morning in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.
Following this, the Foreign Office via a statement had expressed "deep concern" over the tensions, urging all sides to exercise restraint.
"Pakistan has viewed with deep concern the recent developments in the Middle East, which seriously threaten peace and stability in the region," said the FO in a statement.
"Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, which should be adhered to," the statement said, adding that it is "important to avoid unilateral actions and use of force".
The statement had urged all parties involved to "exercise maximum restraint, engage constructively to de-escalate the situation, and resolve issues through diplomatic means, in accordance with UN Charter and international law".
Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa in a call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had emphasised the "need for maximum restraint and constructive engagement" following the killing of Soleimani.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526437/major-karachi-roads-closed-for-traffic-ahead-of-anti-america-rally
Abdullah719
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">-Having committed grave breaches of int'l law in Friday's cowardly assassinations, <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdonaldtrump</a> threatens to commit again new breaches of JUS COGENS;<br><br>-Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME;<br><br>-Whether kicking or screaming, end of US malign presence in West Asia has begun.</p>— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1213742809095770113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Those masquerading as diplomats and those who shamelessly sat to identify Iranian cultural & civilian targets should not even bother to open a law dictionary.<br><br>Jus cogens refers to peremptory norms of international law, i.e. international red lines. That is, a big(ly) "no no".</p>— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1213743636585865216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Those masquerading as diplomats and those who shamelessly sat to identify Iranian cultural & civilian targets should not even bother to open a law dictionary.<br><br>Jus cogens refers to peremptory norms of international law, i.e. international red lines. That is, a big(ly) "no no".</p>— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1213743636585865216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Abdullah719
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vice President Mike Pence's claim that General Suleimani helped 10 of the men who would go on to carry out the Sept. 11 attacks cross through Iran and enter Afghanistan isn't backed up by established historical accounts or public U.S. intelligence<a href="https://t.co/0dc0i8qGlo">https://t.co/0dc0i8qGlo</a></p>— The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1213491342720086016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Syed1
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Har kisi se panga leh raha hai yeh Trump..... Russia, China, Turkey, Iran.... Only a matter of time before a holistic alliance is formed to cut US down to size.
Ronaldo7
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Just because America's said the guy was a terrorist doesn't mean that he was.
He was the general of a powerful army not a general of a militant group.
If he was a terrorist, I'm just wondering what you'd call Bush
He was the general of a powerful army not a general of a militant group.
If he was a terrorist, I'm just wondering what you'd call Bush
m.shah
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Has Pakistan extended support to US action against Iran? Such dumb move
Abdullah719
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imrankhanpti</a> has categorically stated that Pakistan will not be a party to the conflict and we will not let our soil be used against anybody says Pakistan's Military Spox Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDGISPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialDGISPR</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iran?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iran</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/US?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#US</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iranattack?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iranattack</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IranWar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IranWar</a></p>— Muhammad Ibrahim Qazi (@miqazi) <a href="https://twitter.com/miqazi/status/1213752973228163072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Cpt. Rishwat
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Has it? If you aren't sure, then maybe you should confirm first before making dumb statements.
If Iran attack Saudi then Pakistan will defend the Saudi kingdom.
Cpt. Rishwat
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Says who?
rockyboy2018
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It is simply an act of war killing a general. No two sides about it. If Iran stays silent, the USA will flex its muscles against any country. Given a choice, when it comes to Kashmir issue and all, no muslim country helps and supports Pakistan. To put it simply, Pakistan should stay silent. However, if Iran is going to retaliate and in the process suffers immensely then Pakistan and Turkey should chip in to supprt Iran. If Iran does not take any counter measures against such an act then any muslim country may be the next in the list. I am not even a Shia however considering the gravity of the issue, Iran has the only moral correct position given the current circumstances. Donald Trump is trying to fight a war of some other country behind the scenes- it is a very calibrated move to ensnare Iran into this mess.
Ronaldo7
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Thousands of mourners swept into the Iranian city of Ahvaz early on Sunday morning to receive the remains of Qasem Soleimani, the general killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad last week.
The mourners beat their chests and chanted "death to America".
Soleimani was the architect of Iran's sphere of influence across the Middle East and he was considered to be the country's second most powerful man.
His assassination marked a significant escalation between Iran and the US.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50997841
The mourners beat their chests and chanted "death to America".
Soleimani was the architect of Iran's sphere of influence across the Middle East and he was considered to be the country's second most powerful man.
His assassination marked a significant escalation between Iran and the US.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who had a close personal relationship with Soleimani, warned of "severe revenge" for the attack, and analysts said Iran might pursue cyber attacks against the US or traditional attacks on US targets or interests in the Middle East.
President Trump, who authorised the attack on Soleimani on Friday - an option refused by both Presidents Bush and Obama as too risky - said on Saturday the US was ready to strike 52 sites "important to Iran & the Iranian culture".
In a series of tweets likely to raise concerns about a path to war between the two countries, Mr Trump said the US would strike Iran "VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if Iran targeted American bases or troops.
The president said the 52 targets identified by the US represented 52 Americans who were held hostage in Iran for more than a year from late 1979 after they were taken from the US embassy in Tehran.
Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded on Twitter, saying that the killing of Soleimani was a breach of international law and that any targeting of cultural sites would be constitute a war crime.
What is going on in Iran?
Thousands of black-clad mourners gathered early on Sunday morning in the streets in Ahvaz in the southwest of Iran, where Soleimani's body had arrived before dawn. The Irib state news agency showed footage of Soleimani's casket, wrapped in an Iranian flag, being unloaded from a plane as a military band played, before it was flown on to Ahvaz.
The channel showed crowds gathered in the city's Mollavi Square, waving flags and holding aloft portraits of Soleimani, who is seen by many in Iran as a hero because of his role as a soldier in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and his closeness to the supreme leader.
"A glorious crowd is at the ceremony," said the commentator on Irib.
In the capital Tehran, members of parliament chanted "death to America" for a few minutes during a session of the house, the ISNA news agency reported. "Trump, this is the voice of the Iranian nation, listen," speaker Ali Larijani was quoted as saying.
Soleimani's body was flown back to Iran from Iraq alongside the bodies of five other Iranians killed in the drone strike, and the body of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group and who was also killed.
Kataib Hezbollah issued a warning over the weekend to Iraqi security forces to "stay clear of American bases by a distance not less [than] 1,000m (0.6 miles) starting Sunday evening", al-Mayadeen TV reported.
The US deployed 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East in the wake of its strike and advised its citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
The bodies of Soleimani, al-Muhandis and the other victims were due to be flown to Tehran later on Sunday for more funeral events.
On Monday, the supreme leader is expected to pray over Soleimani's remains at Tehran University, followed by a procession through the city. The general's remains will then be taken to the holy city of Qom for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
While there was mourning in Iran over Soleimani's death, there were also celebrations in the streets in Iraq and in Syria, where the general was instrumental in helping President Bashar al-Assad crush an uprising.
US Democrats question intelligence claims
Speaking after the attack on Friday, President Trump told the world that he took the decision to assassinate Soleimani because the general was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" on US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
The Trump administration decided not to notify Congressional leaders in advance of the attack, as previous presidents have often done, and President Obama did before Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2011.
The White House sent its formal notification to Congress instead on Saturday, within the 48 hours after an attack that is required by US law.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, said in a statement that the White House notification raised "serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran".
Ms Pelosi said the decision to classify the entire document "suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security".
The surprise strike appeared to strain relations between the US and some European powers. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, telephoned Iraq's acting prime minister to express support for the country's sovereignty. Iraq's leadership was not notified by the US ahead of the strike.
The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, had not by Sunday morning made any comment about the strike or elected to cut short his holiday on the Caribbean island of Mustique.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, criticised the European response to the attack. Speaking to Fox News, he said: "Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well."
President Trump, who authorised the attack on Soleimani on Friday - an option refused by both Presidents Bush and Obama as too risky - said on Saturday the US was ready to strike 52 sites "important to Iran & the Iranian culture".
In a series of tweets likely to raise concerns about a path to war between the two countries, Mr Trump said the US would strike Iran "VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if Iran targeted American bases or troops.
The president said the 52 targets identified by the US represented 52 Americans who were held hostage in Iran for more than a year from late 1979 after they were taken from the US embassy in Tehran.
Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded on Twitter, saying that the killing of Soleimani was a breach of international law and that any targeting of cultural sites would be constitute a war crime.
What is going on in Iran?
Thousands of black-clad mourners gathered early on Sunday morning in the streets in Ahvaz in the southwest of Iran, where Soleimani's body had arrived before dawn. The Irib state news agency showed footage of Soleimani's casket, wrapped in an Iranian flag, being unloaded from a plane as a military band played, before it was flown on to Ahvaz.
The channel showed crowds gathered in the city's Mollavi Square, waving flags and holding aloft portraits of Soleimani, who is seen by many in Iran as a hero because of his role as a soldier in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and his closeness to the supreme leader.
"A glorious crowd is at the ceremony," said the commentator on Irib.
In the capital Tehran, members of parliament chanted "death to America" for a few minutes during a session of the house, the ISNA news agency reported. "Trump, this is the voice of the Iranian nation, listen," speaker Ali Larijani was quoted as saying.
Soleimani's body was flown back to Iran from Iraq alongside the bodies of five other Iranians killed in the drone strike, and the body of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group and who was also killed.
Kataib Hezbollah issued a warning over the weekend to Iraqi security forces to "stay clear of American bases by a distance not less [than] 1,000m (0.6 miles) starting Sunday evening", al-Mayadeen TV reported.
The US deployed 3,000 additional troops to the Middle East in the wake of its strike and advised its citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
The bodies of Soleimani, al-Muhandis and the other victims were due to be flown to Tehran later on Sunday for more funeral events.
On Monday, the supreme leader is expected to pray over Soleimani's remains at Tehran University, followed by a procession through the city. The general's remains will then be taken to the holy city of Qom for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
While there was mourning in Iran over Soleimani's death, there were also celebrations in the streets in Iraq and in Syria, where the general was instrumental in helping President Bashar al-Assad crush an uprising.
US Democrats question intelligence claims
Speaking after the attack on Friday, President Trump told the world that he took the decision to assassinate Soleimani because the general was "plotting imminent and sinister attacks" on US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.
The Trump administration decided not to notify Congressional leaders in advance of the attack, as previous presidents have often done, and President Obama did before Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan in 2011.
The White House sent its formal notification to Congress instead on Saturday, within the 48 hours after an attack that is required by US law.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, said in a statement that the White House notification raised "serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran".
Ms Pelosi said the decision to classify the entire document "suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security".
The surprise strike appeared to strain relations between the US and some European powers. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, telephoned Iraq's acting prime minister to express support for the country's sovereignty. Iraq's leadership was not notified by the US ahead of the strike.
The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, had not by Sunday morning made any comment about the strike or elected to cut short his holiday on the Caribbean island of Mustique.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, criticised the European response to the attack. Speaking to Fox News, he said: "Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well."
Cpt. Rishwat
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Probably just as well Iran won't attack Saudi Arabia then.
Abdullah719
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Pakistan will promote peace, not take sides in US-Iran conflict: DG ISPR
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Sunday said that Pakistan will only play the role of a peacemaker and not take sides in the ongoing conflict between the United States and neighbouring Iran.
Major Gen Ghafoor's remarks came in the wake of the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani by a US drone strike on Friday in Baghdad.
The DG ISPR, in an interview with a local TV channel, said that "Pakistan has defeated terrorism on its territory and will not allow its soil to be used against any other country."
To a question regarding claims made in Indian media that Pakistan’s policy towards Iran has changed in the light of US resumption of military training program for Pakistan Army, the DG ISPR deemed it "Indian propaganda" and "fake news".
“Islamabad and Washington were in talks for the last four or five months over the issue and linking it as Pakistan aligning with US is Indian propaganda,” he said.
"Pakistan Army is a responsible and professional force and has exercised restraint despite provocative statements from Indian leadership."
The army spokesperson also talked about the conversation between COAS Bajwa and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
He said the army chief had told Pompeo that “the region is making progress towards peace from a very bad situation and the Baghdad incident is detrimental to the peace efforts in the region.”
“General Bajwa has an important role with regards to regional security and Afghan peace process and Pakistan don’t want to see another conflict in this region,” said the DG ISPR.
“Pakistan would oppose any thing that is affecting Afghan reconciliation process as it needs focus from all the parties. We are of the view that dialogue is the way forward to achieve lasting peace.”
https://www.geo.tv/latest/265712-ki...l-changed-regional-security-situation-dg-ispr
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Sunday said that Pakistan will only play the role of a peacemaker and not take sides in the ongoing conflict between the United States and neighbouring Iran.
Major Gen Ghafoor's remarks came in the wake of the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani by a US drone strike on Friday in Baghdad.
The DG ISPR, in an interview with a local TV channel, said that "Pakistan has defeated terrorism on its territory and will not allow its soil to be used against any other country."
To a question regarding claims made in Indian media that Pakistan’s policy towards Iran has changed in the light of US resumption of military training program for Pakistan Army, the DG ISPR deemed it "Indian propaganda" and "fake news".
“Islamabad and Washington were in talks for the last four or five months over the issue and linking it as Pakistan aligning with US is Indian propaganda,” he said.
"Pakistan Army is a responsible and professional force and has exercised restraint despite provocative statements from Indian leadership."
The army spokesperson also talked about the conversation between COAS Bajwa and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
He said the army chief had told Pompeo that “the region is making progress towards peace from a very bad situation and the Baghdad incident is detrimental to the peace efforts in the region.”
“General Bajwa has an important role with regards to regional security and Afghan peace process and Pakistan don’t want to see another conflict in this region,” said the DG ISPR.
“Pakistan would oppose any thing that is affecting Afghan reconciliation process as it needs focus from all the parties. We are of the view that dialogue is the way forward to achieve lasting peace.”
https://www.geo.tv/latest/265712-ki...l-changed-regional-security-situation-dg-ispr
rockyboy2018
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my question is, what if Iran starts suffering casualties and then what would be the reaction of Shia Pakistanis in Pakistan?
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Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Sunday, while speaking to ARY News, said that Pakistan will not allow its soil to be used against anyone.
Quoting Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Ghafoor said: "We will not allow our soil to be used against anyone."
"Pakistan will not be party to anyone or anything but will be a partner of peace and peace alone," he said, quoting Prime Minister Imran.
The director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in reply to a question regarding the killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani in a US strike on Friday, said the regional situation had been altered and Pakistan would play its role in helping peace prevail.
Maj Gen Soleimani was killed on Friday morning in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.
Shortly after, Gen Bajwa in a call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had emphasised the "need for maximum restraint and constructive engagement" following the killing of Soleimani.
Discussing the phone call between the army chief and Pompeo, Ghafoor said Gen Bajwa had said two things.
Firstly, he said that the region was improving from very bad conditions, adding that the Afghan reconciliation process is very important for this improvement. He added that Pakistan would play its role in this and wants the focus to remain on the issue.
Secondly, he said the army chief had told Pompeo that tensions in the region should be reduced. He said all relevant countries should move forward with constructive practices and dialogue.
"Pakistan will support all peaceful efforts and hopes the region doesn't go towards another war," he quoted the army chief as saying.
Responding to a question regarding rumours that Pakistan would participate in the war by supporting the United States against Iran, Ghafoor said such rumours were circulating on social media. He clarified, however, that this was not the first call [between Pompeo and Gen Bajwa].
"From the Afghan reconciliation process to the regional security, the army chief has an important role," he said, adding that the Foreign Office had also issued a statement.
The Foreign Office via a statement had also expressed "deep concern" over the tensions, urging all sides to exercise restraint.
"My request to the people and media would be to only pay attention to statements from an authentic source," he said, adding that they should not pay attention to "propaganda" and "rumours of enemies of the country".
"India is playing the lead role in spreading these rumours," he said, adding that he had read an Indian news article that Pakistan had ditched Iran and the resumption of Pakistan's participation in a US military training and educational programme.
"In our bilateral relations with America, training cooperation was suspended. For the past four to five months, America has been talking about restoring this because training engagement in military to military cooperation goes on.
"Linking something that has been going on for quite a few months to this incident is part of that propaganda campaign."
The army's spokesman said that peace had been achieved in Pakistan after a lot of sacrifices, adding that the nation will play its role for peace in the region.
"We will not be part of any effort to ruin this peace," he said.
'Path India on will lead to its own destruction'
Speaking about the new Indian army chief's threatening statements against Pakistan, Maj Gen Ghafoor said that Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had been newly installed as the army chief and is "busy trying to make a place for himself" but is not new to the institution itself.
"He knows full well the situation in the region and the capability of the Pakistan army.
"He was part of the Indian force on Feb 27 as well. So he's not new."
Maj Gen Ghafoor expressed hope that Gen Naravane "will no longer let go of reason". "The Pakistan army knows how to defend the country and India also knows this," he said.
The army spokesperson said that Pakistan desires peace in the region but will make no comprises when it comes to safeguarding its security.
"The Indian army chief should, instead of giving such statements, end the clampdown in occupied Kashmir, end oppression there, and play his role in ending the ongoing tyranny in India due to the Hindutva thought," said Maj Gen Ghafoor.
He said that the path India is on "will lead to its own destruction".
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526443/p...s-soil-to-be-used-against-anyone-says-dg-ispr
Quoting Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Ghafoor said: "We will not allow our soil to be used against anyone."
"Pakistan will not be party to anyone or anything but will be a partner of peace and peace alone," he said, quoting Prime Minister Imran.
The director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in reply to a question regarding the killing of Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani in a US strike on Friday, said the regional situation had been altered and Pakistan would play its role in helping peace prevail.
Maj Gen Soleimani was killed on Friday morning in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries.
Shortly after, Gen Bajwa in a call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had emphasised the "need for maximum restraint and constructive engagement" following the killing of Soleimani.
Discussing the phone call between the army chief and Pompeo, Ghafoor said Gen Bajwa had said two things.
Firstly, he said that the region was improving from very bad conditions, adding that the Afghan reconciliation process is very important for this improvement. He added that Pakistan would play its role in this and wants the focus to remain on the issue.
Secondly, he said the army chief had told Pompeo that tensions in the region should be reduced. He said all relevant countries should move forward with constructive practices and dialogue.
"Pakistan will support all peaceful efforts and hopes the region doesn't go towards another war," he quoted the army chief as saying.
Responding to a question regarding rumours that Pakistan would participate in the war by supporting the United States against Iran, Ghafoor said such rumours were circulating on social media. He clarified, however, that this was not the first call [between Pompeo and Gen Bajwa].
"From the Afghan reconciliation process to the regional security, the army chief has an important role," he said, adding that the Foreign Office had also issued a statement.
The Foreign Office via a statement had also expressed "deep concern" over the tensions, urging all sides to exercise restraint.
"My request to the people and media would be to only pay attention to statements from an authentic source," he said, adding that they should not pay attention to "propaganda" and "rumours of enemies of the country".
"India is playing the lead role in spreading these rumours," he said, adding that he had read an Indian news article that Pakistan had ditched Iran and the resumption of Pakistan's participation in a US military training and educational programme.
"In our bilateral relations with America, training cooperation was suspended. For the past four to five months, America has been talking about restoring this because training engagement in military to military cooperation goes on.
"Linking something that has been going on for quite a few months to this incident is part of that propaganda campaign."
The army's spokesman said that peace had been achieved in Pakistan after a lot of sacrifices, adding that the nation will play its role for peace in the region.
"We will not be part of any effort to ruin this peace," he said.
'Path India on will lead to its own destruction'
Speaking about the new Indian army chief's threatening statements against Pakistan, Maj Gen Ghafoor said that Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had been newly installed as the army chief and is "busy trying to make a place for himself" but is not new to the institution itself.
"He knows full well the situation in the region and the capability of the Pakistan army.
"He was part of the Indian force on Feb 27 as well. So he's not new."
Maj Gen Ghafoor expressed hope that Gen Naravane "will no longer let go of reason". "The Pakistan army knows how to defend the country and India also knows this," he said.
The army spokesperson said that Pakistan desires peace in the region but will make no comprises when it comes to safeguarding its security.
"The Indian army chief should, instead of giving such statements, end the clampdown in occupied Kashmir, end oppression there, and play his role in ending the ongoing tyranny in India due to the Hindutva thought," said Maj Gen Ghafoor.
He said that the path India is on "will lead to its own destruction".
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526443/p...s-soil-to-be-used-against-anyone-says-dg-ispr
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Iraq's parliament passed on Sunday a resolution telling the government to end the presence of foreign troops in Iraq and ensure they not use its land, air, and waters for any reason.
The development comes in the backdrop of a US precision drone strike on Friday that killed Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi.
“The government commits to revoke its request for assistance from the international coalition fighting Islamic State due to the end of military operations in Iraq and the achievement of victory,” the resolution read.
“The Iraqi government must work to end the presence of any foreign troops on Iraqi soil and prohibit them from using its land, airspace or water for any reason.”
Parliament resolutions, unlike laws, are non-binding to the government, but Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence.
The move also follows an aerial attack on Saturday in the Green Zone on the Iraqi capital.
Missiles slammed into the Baghdad enclave where the US embassy is located and an airbase north of the capital housing American troops, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten strikes on 52 sites in Iran.
The near-simultaneous attacks seemed to be the first phase of promised retaliation for the US airstrike.
While no one claimed Saturday's attacks, a hardline pro-Iran faction in the Hashed, a network of Shia-majority armed groups incorporated into the state, urged Iraqis to move away from US forces.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526449/iraqi-parliament-passes-resolution-to-end-foreign-troop-presence
The development comes in the backdrop of a US precision drone strike on Friday that killed Iran's Major General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi.
“The government commits to revoke its request for assistance from the international coalition fighting Islamic State due to the end of military operations in Iraq and the achievement of victory,” the resolution read.
“The Iraqi government must work to end the presence of any foreign troops on Iraqi soil and prohibit them from using its land, airspace or water for any reason.”
Parliament resolutions, unlike laws, are non-binding to the government, but Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence.
The move also follows an aerial attack on Saturday in the Green Zone on the Iraqi capital.
Missiles slammed into the Baghdad enclave where the US embassy is located and an airbase north of the capital housing American troops, prompting US President Donald Trump to threaten strikes on 52 sites in Iran.
The near-simultaneous attacks seemed to be the first phase of promised retaliation for the US airstrike.
While no one claimed Saturday's attacks, a hardline pro-Iran faction in the Hashed, a network of Shia-majority armed groups incorporated into the state, urged Iraqis to move away from US forces.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526449/iraqi-parliament-passes-resolution-to-end-foreign-troop-presence
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US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said it is "clear the world is a safer place" after the killing of Iran's key general in Baghdad - as Iraq summoned the US ambassador.
Mr Pompeo defended targeting Major General Qassem Soleimani in Friday morning's airstrike outside Baghdad airport, telling ABC News the intelligence assessment on Iran's effective second-in-command was "clear".
He added that the US will respond with "lawful strikes" against any retaliatory attacks on American targets.
Iranian MPs unanimously chanted 'death to America' in the chamber to protest against Soleimani's assassination by the US
Iranian MPs chant 'death to America'
As Mr Pompeo spoke in the US, Iraq's foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador due to "repeated US air strikes", a statement said.
Iraq's foreign ministry denounced the airstrikes as a "blatant" violation of sovereignty and a breach of the agreement between Iraq and the US-led coalition.
It said Iraqi soil should not be used to attack its neighbouring countries and Iraq's parliament parliament passed a resolution asking the government to end the presence of foreign troops in the country and ensure they do not use its land, air and waters for any reason.
Parliament resolutions are non-binding to the government, but Iraqi prime minister Adil Abdul Mahdi earlier called on MPs to end foreign troop presence.
The US-led coalition said it has paused the training support of Iraqi military because of repeated rocket attacks, and added it is fully committed to protecting Iraqi bases housing its troops.
On Saturday, Iran threatened to punish Americans within reach of the country, naming Tel Aviv and ships sailing through the Gulf.
Mr Trump reacted by tweeting the US has targeted 52 Iranian sites that "will be hit very fast and very hard" if Iran strikes any Americans or American assets.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif said hitting cultural sites would be a "war crime".
He added: "A reminder to those hallucinating about emulating ISIS war crimes by targeting our cultural heritage: Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries.
"Where are they now? We're still here, and standing tall."
Speaking after Mr Zarif's tweet, Mr Pompeo said any target the US military may strike - if Iran retaliates - would be legal under the laws of armed conflict, which prohibits the deliberate targeting of cultural sites under most circumstances.
He also said Mr Trump has abandoned the previous US administration's focus on countering Iranian proxy groups across the region and suggested the US airstrike that killed Maj Gen Soleimani was an example of this new strategy.
Iraq's parliament held an emergency session on Sunday where Iraqi prime minister said the US had told his government Israel was behind some attacks on militia munition warehouses in 2019.
Mr Abdul-Madhi also revealed he was due to meet Maj Gen Soleimani the morning he was killed, and the general was due to deliver the Iranian's response to "a Saudi message".
https://news.sky.com/story/pompeo-s...-airstrike-as-us-ambassador-summoned-11901652
Mr Pompeo defended targeting Major General Qassem Soleimani in Friday morning's airstrike outside Baghdad airport, telling ABC News the intelligence assessment on Iran's effective second-in-command was "clear".
He added that the US will respond with "lawful strikes" against any retaliatory attacks on American targets.
Iranian MPs unanimously chanted 'death to America' in the chamber to protest against Soleimani's assassination by the US
Iranian MPs chant 'death to America'
As Mr Pompeo spoke in the US, Iraq's foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador due to "repeated US air strikes", a statement said.
Iraq's foreign ministry denounced the airstrikes as a "blatant" violation of sovereignty and a breach of the agreement between Iraq and the US-led coalition.
It said Iraqi soil should not be used to attack its neighbouring countries and Iraq's parliament parliament passed a resolution asking the government to end the presence of foreign troops in the country and ensure they do not use its land, air and waters for any reason.
Parliament resolutions are non-binding to the government, but Iraqi prime minister Adil Abdul Mahdi earlier called on MPs to end foreign troop presence.
The US-led coalition said it has paused the training support of Iraqi military because of repeated rocket attacks, and added it is fully committed to protecting Iraqi bases housing its troops.
On Saturday, Iran threatened to punish Americans within reach of the country, naming Tel Aviv and ships sailing through the Gulf.
Mr Trump reacted by tweeting the US has targeted 52 Iranian sites that "will be hit very fast and very hard" if Iran strikes any Americans or American assets.
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif said hitting cultural sites would be a "war crime".
He added: "A reminder to those hallucinating about emulating ISIS war crimes by targeting our cultural heritage: Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries.
"Where are they now? We're still here, and standing tall."
Speaking after Mr Zarif's tweet, Mr Pompeo said any target the US military may strike - if Iran retaliates - would be legal under the laws of armed conflict, which prohibits the deliberate targeting of cultural sites under most circumstances.
He also said Mr Trump has abandoned the previous US administration's focus on countering Iranian proxy groups across the region and suggested the US airstrike that killed Maj Gen Soleimani was an example of this new strategy.
Iraq's parliament held an emergency session on Sunday where Iraqi prime minister said the US had told his government Israel was behind some attacks on militia munition warehouses in 2019.
Mr Abdul-Madhi also revealed he was due to meet Maj Gen Soleimani the morning he was killed, and the general was due to deliver the Iranian's response to "a Saudi message".
https://news.sky.com/story/pompeo-s...-airstrike-as-us-ambassador-summoned-11901652
Waleed93
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We shot ourselves in the foot when we decided to side with the USA back in 2001 during the WoT.
No matter how far this problem goes, Pakistan should stay neutral at any cost.
No matter how far this problem goes, Pakistan should stay neutral at any cost.
Nikhil_cric
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The problem with the Islamic world is that the leaders are stupid and egotistical - a deadly combination. The powers that be are doing everything to provoke aggression from Iran and Iran will do well not to be tempted. Utter destruction awaits Iran if they do anything rash. Sure, your fellow leaders from the ummah will make a hue and cry but the truth is nobody will bat an eyelid if you are wiped off the face of the earth. Not even the likes of self proclaimed khaleefa Erdogan.
Pakistan should not be neutral . Imran and co. should do everything possible to defuse tensions. War in your neighbourhood will be calamitous.
Pakistan should not be neutral . Imran and co. should do everything possible to defuse tensions. War in your neighbourhood will be calamitous.
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WhenSultansBowled
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Shiny dollars man. Pakistan's decision makers who participated in Afghanistan war should be hanged. May they burn in hell.
Afghanistan doesn't like us and have been blaming Pakistan for its troubles, USA was never our "ally", India is already hostile towards us and now this Iran disaster is looming
If, God forbid, the USA-Iran war starts then after Iran: Pakistan will be the one suffering the most.
And it deeply pains me. This new war will make the Afghanistan war look like summer holidays.
At this rate, IMHO, Pakistan should talk with India and China and make sure the war doesn't start. And I've nothing but authentic hate towards Modi the Muslim killer.
That's the greater good for ya.
WhenSultansBowled
T20I Debutant
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Exterminating ISIS (who are, maybe, paid by USA/Israel)?
I hope IK doesn't do a U-turn on this. It is very important that Pakistan stay neutral, and try to defuse the tensions since a war in Iran will have a negative impact on Pakistan.
IMMY69
Senior T20I Player
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Simple answer to that.
Iraq was always a Shia majority country.
Sadam was built up by the states and armed to the hilt to fight the Iran.
They killed a million Iranian youth using American weapons and poison gas.
So I would be more surprised if Iran didn’t have a presence in Iraq.
Saeed
ODI Debutant
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US suspends training Iraqi troops to focus on base security in wake of Soleimani killing
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2020/01/05/us-suspends-training-iraqi-troops-to-focus-on-base-security/
Looks like Iraqi government wants US out. Good luck to them against any insurgent group. They are sitting ducks without American air support.
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2020/01/05/us-suspends-training-iraqi-troops-to-focus-on-base-security/
Looks like Iraqi government wants US out. Good luck to them against any insurgent group. They are sitting ducks without American air support.
Iran will take care of that just like they did in Syrian and Iraq previously.
last_knight
T20I Debutant
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Practically it is impossible to sit back and watch a war so close to your borders.
If "Neutral" means to sit back then it's inevitably going to involve Pakistan at some stage. Wars effect not only a country but a region.
Pakistan, for its own benefits, should be proactive in convincing the parties towards Peace-Talks. At the very least, should try.
Saeed
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I guess thats a bad thing looking at Iran’s track record. US in Iraq for YPG and Russia in Syria literally bombed everything to smithereens before Iranian militias even dared to advance on any position. With that gone, its probably going to be worse. Stay tuned for abandoned military positions with hardware.
Neutral as in not taking sides and allowing anyone to use Pakistani soil, and instead try to mediate and avoid a war in our own neighbourhood.
Abdullah719
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Iranian state TV reports Iran will no longer abide by any limits of its 2015 nuclear deal. <a href="https://t.co/rjg3Jls8it">https://t.co/rjg3Jls8it</a></p>— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1213884397004427265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Boris Johnson has broken his silence following the killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani in a US airstrike - saying "we will not lament his death".
Following his return from a holiday in the Caribbean, the UK's prime minister confirmed he has spoken with France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel, and US President Donald Trump
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: "General Qassem Soleimani posed a threat to all our interests and was responsible for a pattern of disruptive, destabilising behaviour in the region.
"Given the leading role he has played in actions that have led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and western personnel, we will not lament his death."
https://news.sky.com/story/iran-cri...st-in-a-suit-as-aggression-escalates-11901729
Following his return from a holiday in the Caribbean, the UK's prime minister confirmed he has spoken with France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel, and US President Donald Trump
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: "General Qassem Soleimani posed a threat to all our interests and was responsible for a pattern of disruptive, destabilising behaviour in the region.
"Given the leading role he has played in actions that have led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and western personnel, we will not lament his death."
Tens of thousands of people in the northeastern city of Mashhad watched Soleimani's body being transported by truck to Imam Reza shrine during Sunday's funeral procession.
Mass crowds accompany General Soleimani's coffin
The PM warned that "all calls for retaliation or reprisals will simply lead to more violence in the region" - adding that the UK "is in close contact with all sides to encourage de-escalation".
Mr Johnson also confirmed that the UK has taken steps to increase the security of British personnel and interests in the region, and said the UK parliament will be updated on Tuesday.
The prime minister has faced claims that his government has done "too little, too late" following Friday's drone attack.
Speaking to Sky News, Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry accused Boris Johnson of "sunning himself drinking vodka martinis somewhere else and not paying attention" while he was on holiday.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday has accused hardliners in Tehran of "nefarious behaviour" - describing Maj Gen Soleimani as a "regional menace".
Raab: Gen Soleimani was a 'regional menace'
The Foreign Office has issued strengthened travel advice to Britons across the Middle East - including Saudi Arabia and Turkey - while the Navy will accompany UK-flagged ships through the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite international calls for calm following the killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani, aggression between the US and Iran is continuing to escalate.
While Washington is threatening to attack dozens of targets if Iran retaliates by striking American nationals or US assets, officials in Tehran have been describing President Donald Trump as a "terrorist in a suit".
On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of mourners paid tribute to Maj Gen Soleimani during a grand funeral procession across the Islamic Republic.
US President Donald Trump has defended ordering the killing of Maj Gen Soleimani, tweeting: "They attacked us, & 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!"
He said Maj Gen Soleimani had recently killed an American - a civilian contractor at an Iraqi military base - and had also killed others over his lifetime including hundreds of Iranian protesters.
Pompeo defends deadly US drone strike
On Saturday night, the president warned the US is prepared to target 52 sites that are high level and important to Iran and its culture "very hard and very fast" if the country follows through with its threat to enact "harsh revenge".
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the president's top diplomat, has insisted that the world is a safer place after the top Iranian general was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Friday.
Looking ahead to what will happen next, Mr Pompeo told NBC: "It may be that there's a little noise here in the interim. That the Iranians make the choice to respond. I hope that they don't. President Trump has made clear what we will do in response if they do.
"We're going to take all actions necessary, not only in Iraq but throughout the region, to protect Americans, American citizens as well as my diplomats and service members who are serving overseas."
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate and a long-time political rival of Mr Trump, has accused the president of taking the US "right to the edge of war".
She warned: "That is something that puts us at risk. It puts the Middle East at risk. It puts the entire world at risk."
Iranian officials have criticised Mr Trump's threats to target sites important to the country's culture.
Foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif has claimed that the US president is threatening to violate international law again after committing grave breaches by killing Maj Gen Soleimani on Iraqi soil.
Mr Zarif wrote: "Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME."
Following in Mr Trump's footsteps with a message of defiance on Twitter, telecommunications minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi wrote: "Like ISIS, Like Hitler, Like Genghis! They all hate cultures. Trump is a terrorist in a suit. He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat 'the Great Iranian Nation & Culture'."
Iraq parliament
Image:
Iraq's parliament wants all foreign military personnel to leave the country
Iraq's parliament has voted to back a resolution calling on the government to expel foreign troops, including US forces - and ensure they cannot not use the country's land, air, and waters for any reason.
Prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi had earlier urged MPs to end the presence of foreign troops as soon as possible.
On Saturday, a rocket fell near the US embassy in Baghdad - hours after mourners chanted "death to America" over the killing of the top general. Another rocket fell on an air base housing US forces, but no one was injured.
The US has been an ally of the Iraqi government since the 2003 US invasion to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, but Iraq has become more closely allied with Iran.
Meanwhile, the leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group has warned America's military in the Middle East - including US bases, warships and soldiers - are fair targets following Maj Gen Soleimani's assassination.
In a televised address, Hassan Nasrallah said evicting US military forces from the region is now a priority, but he told his supporters he is "very clear" that American people and citizens should not be harmed.
"The suicide attackers who forced the Americans to leave from our region in the past are still here and their numbers have increased," Nasrallah added.
Mass crowds accompany General Soleimani's coffin
The PM warned that "all calls for retaliation or reprisals will simply lead to more violence in the region" - adding that the UK "is in close contact with all sides to encourage de-escalation".
Mr Johnson also confirmed that the UK has taken steps to increase the security of British personnel and interests in the region, and said the UK parliament will be updated on Tuesday.
The prime minister has faced claims that his government has done "too little, too late" following Friday's drone attack.
Speaking to Sky News, Labour's shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry accused Boris Johnson of "sunning himself drinking vodka martinis somewhere else and not paying attention" while he was on holiday.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday has accused hardliners in Tehran of "nefarious behaviour" - describing Maj Gen Soleimani as a "regional menace".
Raab: Gen Soleimani was a 'regional menace'
The Foreign Office has issued strengthened travel advice to Britons across the Middle East - including Saudi Arabia and Turkey - while the Navy will accompany UK-flagged ships through the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite international calls for calm following the killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani, aggression between the US and Iran is continuing to escalate.
While Washington is threatening to attack dozens of targets if Iran retaliates by striking American nationals or US assets, officials in Tehran have been describing President Donald Trump as a "terrorist in a suit".
On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of mourners paid tribute to Maj Gen Soleimani during a grand funeral procession across the Islamic Republic.
US President Donald Trump has defended ordering the killing of Maj Gen Soleimani, tweeting: "They attacked us, & 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!"
He said Maj Gen Soleimani had recently killed an American - a civilian contractor at an Iraqi military base - and had also killed others over his lifetime including hundreds of Iranian protesters.
Pompeo defends deadly US drone strike
On Saturday night, the president warned the US is prepared to target 52 sites that are high level and important to Iran and its culture "very hard and very fast" if the country follows through with its threat to enact "harsh revenge".
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the president's top diplomat, has insisted that the world is a safer place after the top Iranian general was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Friday.
Looking ahead to what will happen next, Mr Pompeo told NBC: "It may be that there's a little noise here in the interim. That the Iranians make the choice to respond. I hope that they don't. President Trump has made clear what we will do in response if they do.
"We're going to take all actions necessary, not only in Iraq but throughout the region, to protect Americans, American citizens as well as my diplomats and service members who are serving overseas."
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate and a long-time political rival of Mr Trump, has accused the president of taking the US "right to the edge of war".
She warned: "That is something that puts us at risk. It puts the Middle East at risk. It puts the entire world at risk."
Iranian officials have criticised Mr Trump's threats to target sites important to the country's culture.
Foreign minister Mohammed Javad Zarif has claimed that the US president is threatening to violate international law again after committing grave breaches by killing Maj Gen Soleimani on Iraqi soil.
Mr Zarif wrote: "Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME."
Following in Mr Trump's footsteps with a message of defiance on Twitter, telecommunications minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi wrote: "Like ISIS, Like Hitler, Like Genghis! They all hate cultures. Trump is a terrorist in a suit. He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat 'the Great Iranian Nation & Culture'."
Iraq parliament
Image:
Iraq's parliament wants all foreign military personnel to leave the country
Iraq's parliament has voted to back a resolution calling on the government to expel foreign troops, including US forces - and ensure they cannot not use the country's land, air, and waters for any reason.
Prime minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi had earlier urged MPs to end the presence of foreign troops as soon as possible.
On Saturday, a rocket fell near the US embassy in Baghdad - hours after mourners chanted "death to America" over the killing of the top general. Another rocket fell on an air base housing US forces, but no one was injured.
The US has been an ally of the Iraqi government since the 2003 US invasion to oust dictator Saddam Hussein, but Iraq has become more closely allied with Iran.
Meanwhile, the leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group has warned America's military in the Middle East - including US bases, warships and soldiers - are fair targets following Maj Gen Soleimani's assassination.
In a televised address, Hassan Nasrallah said evicting US military forces from the region is now a priority, but he told his supporters he is "very clear" that American people and citizens should not be harmed.
"The suicide attackers who forced the Americans to leave from our region in the past are still here and their numbers have increased," Nasrallah added.
Waleed93
Tape Ball Captain
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- Sep 14, 2017
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Shiny dollars man. Pakistan's decision makers who participated in Afghanistan war should be hanged. May they burn in hell.
Afghanistan doesn't like us and have been blaming Pakistan for its troubles, USA was never our "ally", India is already hostile towards us and now this Iran disaster is looming
If, God forbid, the USA-Iran war starts then after Iran: Pakistan will be the one suffering the most.
And it deeply pains me. This new war will make the Afghanistan war look like summer holidays.
At this rate, IMHO, Pakistan should talk with India and China and make sure the war doesn't start. And I've nothing but authentic hate towards Modi the Muslim killer.
That's the greater good for ya.
Pakistan's decision to side with the USA in 2001 was the worst decision in the country's history after 1971. It literally destroyed our economy, our geo-political situation, and the security environment of the country for close to 15 years.
Now that we are finally getting back on track with security situations improving in the last few years, this conflict emerges out of nowhere.
You are right about the USA never being an ally. The same POTUS accused Pakistan on Twitter of not doing enough against terrorism, when the whole world was praising Pakistan's efforts in eradicating terror after the APS attack.
The same POTUS will now try to use Pakistan as an "ally" to set up his bases and attack Iran from our country, in the process wasting all the efforts Pakistan has done in it's fight against terrorism.
India doesn't have a say on this conflict. They do not share a border with Iran, and their global position is not as strong as Russia or China despite their strong economy. Moreover, even if they had a say in it, talks with them would have been useless as Modi would never take a decision favoring Pakistan.
China could play a big role in this. They will keep in mind their interests on Pakistan's soil and will have to make sure Pakistan is not used as a tool in this war.
That being said, Pakistan should not wait for China's call. As Imran himself said a few times, we should never take part in another country's war.
You guys are sounding like Iran is an innocent country. That Iranian general's actions of getting into a sovereign country and support armed militias in that country are acts of war.
What will be your reaction as a Pakistani if an Indian general do the same thing in Pakistan?
Cpt. Rishwat
T20I Captain
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It's not that dissimilar to the caste system. Everyone should know their place. In this I suppose Indian philosophy has been educational, you don't fight losing battles, you serve the leader with grace and perhaps the odd Sir ji.
Savak
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Imran Khan criticized Musharraf for supporting the US War on Terror and the US war in Afghanistan. Time to now see whether IK can walk the talk in this latest saga.
JaDed
Test Star
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- 39,091
https://www.dawn.com/news/1526230/military-training-programme-for-pakistan-resumed-to-strengthen-defence-cooperation-us
Military training programme for Pakistan resumed to strengthen defence cooperation: US
President Donald Trump authorised the resumption of Pakistan's participation in a US military training and educational programme in order to strengthen military-to-military cooperation on shared priorities and "advance US national security", senior US diplomat Alice Wells said on Saturday.
"The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect," said a tweet by Wells, the in-charge of South Asia affairs at the US State Department.
The decision to resume Islamabad's participation in the coveted International Military Education and Training Programme, or IMET — for more than a decade a pillar of US-Pakistani military ties — was first announced by the State Department last month.
However, the announcement has been reiterated by Acting Assistant Secretary Wells a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reached out to Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa in the aftermath of the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, vowing to remain firm against Iran.
The conversation, which was part of the secretary’s telephonic contacts with leaders around the world, was disclosed by Pompeo on Twitter hours after the Foreign Office expressed “concern” about peace and stability in the Middle East.
The resumption of IMET for Pakistan, more than a year after it was suspended, underscores warming relations that followed meetings last year between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Washington also has credited Islamabad with helping to facilitate negotiations on a US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The State Department administers the IMET. It was a small facet of US security aid programmes for Pakistan worth some $2 billion that remain suspended on orders that Trump abruptly issued in January 2018 to compel the country to crack down on militants. Trump's decision, announced in a tweet, blindsided US officials.
A State Department spokeswoman had earlier said in an email that Trump's 2018 decision to suspend security assistance authorised “narrow exceptions for programmes that support vital US national security interests”. The decision to restore Pakistani participation in IMET was “one such exception”, she said.
The programme “provides an opportunity to increase bilateral cooperation between our countries on shared priorities”, she added. “We want to continue to build on this foundation through concrete actions that advance regional security and stability.”
IMET affords spaces to foreign military officers at US military education institutions, such as the US Army War College and the US Naval War College.
Pakistan's suspension from the programme in August 2018 prompted the cancellation of 66 slots set aside that year for Pakistani military officers in one of the first known impacts of Trump's decision to halt security assistance.
The US military traditionally has sought to shield such educational programmes from political tensions, arguing that the ties built by bringing foreign military officers to the US pay long-term dividends.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To strengthen mil2mil cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IMET?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IMET</a> for Pakistan. The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. AGW</p>— State_SCA (@State_SCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1213233877512314880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Military training programme for Pakistan resumed to strengthen defence cooperation: US
President Donald Trump authorised the resumption of Pakistan's participation in a US military training and educational programme in order to strengthen military-to-military cooperation on shared priorities and "advance US national security", senior US diplomat Alice Wells said on Saturday.
"The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect," said a tweet by Wells, the in-charge of South Asia affairs at the US State Department.
The decision to resume Islamabad's participation in the coveted International Military Education and Training Programme, or IMET — for more than a decade a pillar of US-Pakistani military ties — was first announced by the State Department last month.
However, the announcement has been reiterated by Acting Assistant Secretary Wells a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reached out to Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa in the aftermath of the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, vowing to remain firm against Iran.
The conversation, which was part of the secretary’s telephonic contacts with leaders around the world, was disclosed by Pompeo on Twitter hours after the Foreign Office expressed “concern” about peace and stability in the Middle East.
The resumption of IMET for Pakistan, more than a year after it was suspended, underscores warming relations that followed meetings last year between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Washington also has credited Islamabad with helping to facilitate negotiations on a US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The State Department administers the IMET. It was a small facet of US security aid programmes for Pakistan worth some $2 billion that remain suspended on orders that Trump abruptly issued in January 2018 to compel the country to crack down on militants. Trump's decision, announced in a tweet, blindsided US officials.
A State Department spokeswoman had earlier said in an email that Trump's 2018 decision to suspend security assistance authorised “narrow exceptions for programmes that support vital US national security interests”. The decision to restore Pakistani participation in IMET was “one such exception”, she said.
The programme “provides an opportunity to increase bilateral cooperation between our countries on shared priorities”, she added. “We want to continue to build on this foundation through concrete actions that advance regional security and stability.”
IMET affords spaces to foreign military officers at US military education institutions, such as the US Army War College and the US Naval War College.
Pakistan's suspension from the programme in August 2018 prompted the cancellation of 66 slots set aside that year for Pakistani military officers in one of the first known impacts of Trump's decision to halt security assistance.
The US military traditionally has sought to shield such educational programmes from political tensions, arguing that the ties built by bringing foreign military officers to the US pay long-term dividends.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To strengthen mil2mil cooperation on shared priorities & advance US national security, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> authorized the resumption of International Military Education and Training <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IMET?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IMET</a> for Pakistan. The overall security assistance suspension for Pakistan remains in effect. AGW</p>— State_SCA (@State_SCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1213233877512314880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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JaDed
Test Star
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
- Runs
- 39,091
I guess Pak is back to USA-Saudi side, which is good in a way for Pak coz the money and already China has been investing in Pak.
The only losers here are Turkey-Malaysia who thought something significant was being done as an alternate.
The only losers here are Turkey-Malaysia who thought something significant was being done as an alternate.
Saeed
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2010
- Runs
- 10,077
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lolll, Iranian cleric: “US has no hero like Qassem Soleimani we can target. Who are we gonna hit, <a href="https://twitter.com/SpongeBob?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpongeBob</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/SpiderMan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpiderMan</a>?” <a href="https://t.co/oQmTAaoqXS">https://t.co/oQmTAaoqXS</a></p>— Arash Azizi (@arash_tehran) <a href="https://twitter.com/arash_tehran/status/1213932875348881408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It's a trap, the US absolutely cannot be trusted.
These training academies are also potential agent recruitment facilities.
The_Odd_One
ODI Debutant
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2015
- Runs
- 8,950
The concept of an empire is obsolete. America controls the world through corporates, education, technology, and media. New York is the capital city of the world and not Beijing or Moscow.
This Qasim guy won't be threatening Pak anymore. Pak must remain neutral in the coming American-iran war. We must not allow the American's our basis to bomb Iran that will be catastrophic. The real target here is Baluchistan and C-PEC not Iran.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
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- 217,977
President Trump has threatened severe sanctions against Iraq after its parliament called on US troops to leave the country.
"We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he told reporters.
Tensions are high after the US assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad last week.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51003159
"We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he told reporters.
Tensions are high after the US assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad last week.
Iran has vowed "severe revenge".
Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East, and was regarded as a terrorist by the US.
The general's remains have now returned to his home country, where mourners packed the streets of Tehran early on Monday.
Who was Iran's Qasem Soleimani?
The new head of Iran's Quds force - which Soleimani led - has vowed to expel the US from the Middle East.
"We promise to continue martyr Soleimani's path with the same force... and the only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region," state radio quoted Esmail Qaani as saying.
The strike that killed Soleimani also claimed the life of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top Iraqi military figure who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group.
What did Trump threaten Iraq with?
Speaking from the presidential plane, Mr Trump said that if Iraq asked US forces to depart on an unfriendly basis, "we will charge them sanctions like they've never seen before, ever. It'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame."
Some 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group.
On Sunday, the coalition paused its operations against IS in Iraq, and Iraqi MPs passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave.
Iraqi MPs back call to expel US troops
The resolution was pushed through by the parliament's Shia Muslim bloc - which is close to Iran.
How has Iran responded to the US?
Iran has announced it will no longer abide by restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal, under which it agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.
US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018, saying he wanted to force Iran to negotiate a new deal that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles.
Iran refused and had since been gradually rolling back its commitments under the deal.
In a statement, it said it would no longer observe limitations on its capacity for enrichment, the level of enrichment, the stock of enriched material, or research and development.
The leaders of Germany, France and the UK - which were all signatories to the 2015 deal, alongside China and Russia - responded with a joint statement urging Iran to refrain from "further violent actions or support for them".
"It is crucial now to de-escalate. We call on all the players involved to show utmost restraint and responsibility," they said.
What has Trump said about Iran?
Mr Trump has vowed to strike back at Iran in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He also repeated a controversial threat to target Iranian cultural sites on Sunday, despite criticism from within the US and overseas.
"They're allowed to kill our people. They're allowed to torture and maim our people. They're allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we're not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn't work that way," the president said.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, Mr Trump said the US had identified 52 Iranian sites, some "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture", and warned they would be "HIT VERY FAST AND HARD" if Tehran struck at the US.
US ready to strike 52 Iranian sites, Trump warns
US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a senior member of the Democratic Party, responded by tweeting: "You are threatening to commit war crimes."
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif drew parallels with IS destruction of the Middle East's cultural riches.
"A reminder to those hallucinating about emulating ISIS war crimes by targeting our cultural heritage," he tweeted. "Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries. Where are they now? We're still here, & standing tall."
Targeting cultural sites is banned under the Geneva and Hague Conventions - and violating them would constitute a war crime in the US.
How soon could Iran develop a nuclear bomb?
The country has always insisted that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful - but suspicions that it was being used to develop a bomb covertly prompted the UN Security Council, US and EU to impose crippling sanctions in 2010.
The 2015 deal was designed to constrain the programme in a verifiable way in return for sanctions relief.
It restricted Iran's enrichment of uranium, which is used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons, to 3.67%. Iran was also required to redesign a heavy-water reactor being built, whose spent fuel would contain plutonium suitable for a bomb, and allow international inspections.
Before July 2015, Iran had a large stockpile of enriched uranium and almost 20,000 centrifuges, enough to create eight to 10 bombs, according to the White House at the time.
US experts estimated back then that if Iran had decided to rush to make a bomb, it would take two to three months until it had enough 90%-enriched uranium to build a nuclear weapon - the so-called "breakout time".
Iran's current "breakout time", should it attempt to build a nuclear bomb, is estimated to be around a year, but this could be reduced to half a year or even a matter of months if enrichment levels are increased to 20%, for example.
Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East, and was regarded as a terrorist by the US.
The general's remains have now returned to his home country, where mourners packed the streets of Tehran early on Monday.
Who was Iran's Qasem Soleimani?
The new head of Iran's Quds force - which Soleimani led - has vowed to expel the US from the Middle East.
"We promise to continue martyr Soleimani's path with the same force... and the only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region," state radio quoted Esmail Qaani as saying.
The strike that killed Soleimani also claimed the life of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top Iraqi military figure who commanded the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah group.
What did Trump threaten Iraq with?
Speaking from the presidential plane, Mr Trump said that if Iraq asked US forces to depart on an unfriendly basis, "we will charge them sanctions like they've never seen before, ever. It'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame."
Some 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group.
On Sunday, the coalition paused its operations against IS in Iraq, and Iraqi MPs passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave.
Iraqi MPs back call to expel US troops
The resolution was pushed through by the parliament's Shia Muslim bloc - which is close to Iran.
How has Iran responded to the US?
Iran has announced it will no longer abide by restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal, under which it agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.
US President Donald Trump abandoned the deal in 2018, saying he wanted to force Iran to negotiate a new deal that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles.
Iran refused and had since been gradually rolling back its commitments under the deal.
In a statement, it said it would no longer observe limitations on its capacity for enrichment, the level of enrichment, the stock of enriched material, or research and development.
The leaders of Germany, France and the UK - which were all signatories to the 2015 deal, alongside China and Russia - responded with a joint statement urging Iran to refrain from "further violent actions or support for them".
"It is crucial now to de-escalate. We call on all the players involved to show utmost restraint and responsibility," they said.
What has Trump said about Iran?
Mr Trump has vowed to strike back at Iran in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He also repeated a controversial threat to target Iranian cultural sites on Sunday, despite criticism from within the US and overseas.
"They're allowed to kill our people. They're allowed to torture and maim our people. They're allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we're not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn't work that way," the president said.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, Mr Trump said the US had identified 52 Iranian sites, some "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture", and warned they would be "HIT VERY FAST AND HARD" if Tehran struck at the US.
US ready to strike 52 Iranian sites, Trump warns
US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a senior member of the Democratic Party, responded by tweeting: "You are threatening to commit war crimes."
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif drew parallels with IS destruction of the Middle East's cultural riches.
"A reminder to those hallucinating about emulating ISIS war crimes by targeting our cultural heritage," he tweeted. "Through MILLENNIA of history, barbarians have come and ravaged our cities, razed our monuments and burnt our libraries. Where are they now? We're still here, & standing tall."
Targeting cultural sites is banned under the Geneva and Hague Conventions - and violating them would constitute a war crime in the US.
How soon could Iran develop a nuclear bomb?
The country has always insisted that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful - but suspicions that it was being used to develop a bomb covertly prompted the UN Security Council, US and EU to impose crippling sanctions in 2010.
The 2015 deal was designed to constrain the programme in a verifiable way in return for sanctions relief.
It restricted Iran's enrichment of uranium, which is used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons, to 3.67%. Iran was also required to redesign a heavy-water reactor being built, whose spent fuel would contain plutonium suitable for a bomb, and allow international inspections.
Before July 2015, Iran had a large stockpile of enriched uranium and almost 20,000 centrifuges, enough to create eight to 10 bombs, according to the White House at the time.
US experts estimated back then that if Iran had decided to rush to make a bomb, it would take two to three months until it had enough 90%-enriched uranium to build a nuclear weapon - the so-called "breakout time".
Iran's current "breakout time", should it attempt to build a nuclear bomb, is estimated to be around a year, but this could be reduced to half a year or even a matter of months if enrichment levels are increased to 20%, for example.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51003159
WebGuru
Senior ODI Player
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- 21,339
- Post of the Week
- 3
There were talks about it months ago and US agreed to it 2 weeks before this attack.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rferl.org/amp/30341608.html
cricketjoshila
Test Captain
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Runs
- 47,985
- Post of the Week
- 1
Yes you are leaving as and when they ask you to leave. This is not your real estate business.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,977
The daughter of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani warned the US faces a "dark day" for his death as his funeral began in Tehran.
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday.
Speaking to crowds in Iran's capital, Zeinab Soleimani warned the US president "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she said.
Iran has vowed severe revenge for the death of Soleimani.
Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East, and was regarded as a terrorist by the US.
Mourners have packed the streets of Tehran for his funeral ceremony. People in the crowds could be seen crying.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers during the ceremony.
Following Monday's funeral, the general's remains will then be taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
When visiting Soleimani's family members at their house in Tehran, President Rouhani said: "The Americans really did not realise what grave error they have committed.
"Revenge for his blood will be exacted on that day when the filthy hands of America will be cut off forever from the region."
Over the weekend, Mr Trump said that the US would strike back at Iran in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He said the US was ready to strike 52 Iranian sites and "will strike very fast and very hard" if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51004688
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday.
Speaking to crowds in Iran's capital, Zeinab Soleimani warned the US president "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she said.
Iran has vowed severe revenge for the death of Soleimani.
Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iranian military operations in the Middle East, and was regarded as a terrorist by the US.
Mourners have packed the streets of Tehran for his funeral ceremony. People in the crowds could be seen crying.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers during the ceremony.
Following Monday's funeral, the general's remains will then be taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
When visiting Soleimani's family members at their house in Tehran, President Rouhani said: "The Americans really did not realise what grave error they have committed.
"Revenge for his blood will be exacted on that day when the filthy hands of America will be cut off forever from the region."
Over the weekend, Mr Trump said that the US would strike back at Iran in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He said the US was ready to strike 52 Iranian sites and "will strike very fast and very hard" if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51004688
WhenSultansBowled
T20I Debutant
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2015
- Runs
- 6,624
Government must focus on education and opportunities for our youth. We should stop buying weapons and being mercenaries.
Let global powers sort it out far far away from Pakistan.
We have already suffered more than our part in USSR and USA's previous wars.
If Imran Khan sells his soul to the devil then he will be remembered as a worse leader than previous corrupt ones.
Let global powers sort it out far far away from Pakistan.
We have already suffered more than our part in USSR and USA's previous wars.
If Imran Khan sells his soul to the devil then he will be remembered as a worse leader than previous corrupt ones.
Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
- Runs
- 44,825
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pakistan is very clear on its position: we stand for peace, stability & security in region. I've reiterated this to all stakeholders in my recent conversations. Active diplomacy to de-escalate tensions is the need of the hour.Violence must be avoided. We'll continue with efforts.</p>— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/SMQureshiPTI/status/1214115631110479874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,977
Huge crowds packed the streets of the Iranian capital Tehran for the funeral of the slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday on the orders of President Donald Trump.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers and at one point was seen weeping.
Iran has vowed "severe revenge" for the death of Soleimani and on Sunday pulled back from the 2015 nuclear accord.
Soleimani, 62, headed Iran's elite Quds Force, and was tasked with protecting and boosting Iran's influence in the Middle East.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51004688
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday on the orders of President Donald Trump.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers and at one point was seen weeping.
Iran has vowed "severe revenge" for the death of Soleimani and on Sunday pulled back from the 2015 nuclear accord.
Soleimani, 62, headed Iran's elite Quds Force, and was tasked with protecting and boosting Iran's influence in the Middle East.
His career saw him support Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil conflict, aid the Shia militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon and guide Iraqi militia groups against Islamic State.
Soleimani was hailed as a national hero in Iran and widely considered the second most powerful man in the country behind Supreme Leader Khamenei.
The US saw him as a terrorist, and justifying the killing President Trump said Soleimani was plotting "imminent" attacks on US diplomats and military personnel.
What happened at Soleimani's funeral?
State television showed huge crowds in Tehran for the event. It put the number who turned out as "millions" although this is yet to be verified.
People cried while others clutched pictures of the late commander. Mourners passed his coffin over their heads and "death to America" chants were heard.
His daughter Zeinab Soleimani warned the US it faces a "dark day" for the killing. "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she said.
Following Monday's funeral, the general's remains will then be taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
How has Iran responded to the killing?
On Sunday Iran declared it would no longer abide by any of the restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal.
The deal limited Iranian nuclear capacities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
But in a statement, Iran said it would no longer observe limitations on its capacity for enrichment, the level of enrichment, the stock of enriched material, or research and development.
Three European parties to the deal - Germany, France and the UK - urged Iran to abide by its terms.
Also on Sunday, Iraqi MPs passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave. US forces were invited to return to Iraq to help defeat the Islamic State group.
The new head of Iran's Quds force has vowed to expel the US from the Middle East.
How has Trump reacted?
Following warnings from Iran, Mr Trump said that the US would respond in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He repeated a threat to target Iranian cultural sites, saying the US would "strike very fast and very hard" if Tehran attacked Americans or US assets.
President Trump also threatened severe sanctions against Iraq if US troops left.
"We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he told reporters.
What are Iran's key cultural sites?
The suggestion that the US could target Iranian cultural sites sparked alarm in Iran and beyond. Such action could be considered a war crime under international law.
Iran is home to two dozen Unesco World Heritage sites. These are sites that the UN's cultural organisation believes need preserving for their cultural, historic or scientific significance. These include:
Persepolis, the sprawling ancient ruins which date back to 518 BC and were the site of the capital of the ancient Persian Achaemenid empire
Naqsh-e Jahan Square in the city of Isfahan, which was built in the early 17th century and is is one of the largest city squares in the world
Golestan Palace in Tehran, the residence and seat of power for the Qajar dynasty which ruled Iran from 1785 to 1925
There are also a number of sites which - while not listed by Unesco - still retain huge cultural importance ,such as the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini, dedicated to the Islamic Republic's founder.
Soleimani was hailed as a national hero in Iran and widely considered the second most powerful man in the country behind Supreme Leader Khamenei.
The US saw him as a terrorist, and justifying the killing President Trump said Soleimani was plotting "imminent" attacks on US diplomats and military personnel.
What happened at Soleimani's funeral?
State television showed huge crowds in Tehran for the event. It put the number who turned out as "millions" although this is yet to be verified.
People cried while others clutched pictures of the late commander. Mourners passed his coffin over their heads and "death to America" chants were heard.
His daughter Zeinab Soleimani warned the US it faces a "dark day" for the killing. "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom," she said.
Following Monday's funeral, the general's remains will then be taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, for a ceremony ahead of a funeral in his hometown of Kerman on Tuesday.
How has Iran responded to the killing?
On Sunday Iran declared it would no longer abide by any of the restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal.
The deal limited Iranian nuclear capacities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
But in a statement, Iran said it would no longer observe limitations on its capacity for enrichment, the level of enrichment, the stock of enriched material, or research and development.
Three European parties to the deal - Germany, France and the UK - urged Iran to abide by its terms.
Also on Sunday, Iraqi MPs passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave. US forces were invited to return to Iraq to help defeat the Islamic State group.
The new head of Iran's Quds force has vowed to expel the US from the Middle East.
How has Trump reacted?
Following warnings from Iran, Mr Trump said that the US would respond in the event of retaliation for Soleimani's death, "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".
He repeated a threat to target Iranian cultural sites, saying the US would "strike very fast and very hard" if Tehran attacked Americans or US assets.
President Trump also threatened severe sanctions against Iraq if US troops left.
"We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he told reporters.
What are Iran's key cultural sites?
The suggestion that the US could target Iranian cultural sites sparked alarm in Iran and beyond. Such action could be considered a war crime under international law.
Iran is home to two dozen Unesco World Heritage sites. These are sites that the UN's cultural organisation believes need preserving for their cultural, historic or scientific significance. These include:
Persepolis, the sprawling ancient ruins which date back to 518 BC and were the site of the capital of the ancient Persian Achaemenid empire
Naqsh-e Jahan Square in the city of Isfahan, which was built in the early 17th century and is is one of the largest city squares in the world
Golestan Palace in Tehran, the residence and seat of power for the Qajar dynasty which ruled Iran from 1785 to 1925
There are also a number of sites which - while not listed by Unesco - still retain huge cultural importance ,such as the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini, dedicated to the Islamic Republic's founder.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51004688
JaDed
Test Star
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
- Runs
- 39,091
Ah ok.. sorry they emphasized again..
WebGuru
Senior ODI Player
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2013
- Runs
- 21,339
- Post of the Week
- 3
Yes Dawn republished the story with the new date after the State Depart tweet i guess...
Cpt. Rishwat
T20I Captain
- Joined
- May 8, 2010
- Runs
- 43,365
Why would Iraq pay for a US airbase? Don't build them if you can't afford them.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,977
Tehran: An $80 million bounty has been placed on US President Donald Trump's head after General Qasem Soleimani was killed in US airstrikes last week, according to reports.
During the televised funeral procession of the top Iranian military commander, it was said on official state broadcasting channels on Sunday that $1 would be tabled for every Iranian in the country, with the cash going to whoever kills the US President, mirror.co.uk said in the report.
"Iran has 80 million inhabitants. Based on the Iranian population, we want to raise $80 million which is a reward for those who get close to the head of President Trump," it was announced.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ira...neral-qasem-sol-2159487?pfrom=home-topstories
During the televised funeral procession of the top Iranian military commander, it was said on official state broadcasting channels on Sunday that $1 would be tabled for every Iranian in the country, with the cash going to whoever kills the US President, mirror.co.uk said in the report.
"Iran has 80 million inhabitants. Based on the Iranian population, we want to raise $80 million which is a reward for those who get close to the head of President Trump," it was announced.
The January 3 US drone attack ordered by Donald Trump killed Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. The attack took place on the Baghdad international airport road.
The attack has led to widespread condemnation in Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani vowed revenge on the US.
Play Video
1m 17s
Weeping, Iran supreme leader prays over Soleimani
Weeping amid wails from a crowd of hundreds of thousands of mourners, Iran's supreme leader on Monday prayed over the remains of a top Iranian general killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad.
Earlier on Sunday, Iranian MP Abolfazl Aboutorabi threatened to attack the heart of American politics.
"We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil," mirror.co.uk quoted Mr Aboutorabi as saying.
"We have the power... We will respond in an appropriate time," he said, adding: "This is a declaration of war, which means if you hesitate you lose."
During an open session of the Iranian Parliament on Sunday afternoon, US President Trump was called a "terrorist in a suit" after he threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets.
The attack has led to widespread condemnation in Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani vowed revenge on the US.
Play Video
1m 17s
Weeping, Iran supreme leader prays over Soleimani
Weeping amid wails from a crowd of hundreds of thousands of mourners, Iran's supreme leader on Monday prayed over the remains of a top Iranian general killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad.
Earlier on Sunday, Iranian MP Abolfazl Aboutorabi threatened to attack the heart of American politics.
"We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil," mirror.co.uk quoted Mr Aboutorabi as saying.
"We have the power... We will respond in an appropriate time," he said, adding: "This is a declaration of war, which means if you hesitate you lose."
During an open session of the Iranian Parliament on Sunday afternoon, US President Trump was called a "terrorist in a suit" after he threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ira...neral-qasem-sol-2159487?pfrom=home-topstories
JaDed
Test Star
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
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I think that’s the best Iran can do.. and it will be his 2020 political campaign.. I hd a ‘bountyyyy’
Savak
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Lol, Iran hasn't been able to do anything to Salman Rushdie, and they think they will be able to take retribution against Donald Trump
The Viper
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Qassem Soleimani's daughter warns 'crazy Trump' a 'dark day' is coming
https://news.sky.com/story/qassem-s...rns-crazy-trump-a-dark-day-is-coming-11902031
The daughter of the Iranian commander killed in an American airstrike has warned the US it faces a "dark day" for his death.
Major General Qassem Soleimani was targeted by a drone in an operation approved by President Donald Trump last week, prompting the Middle Eastern nation to vow revenge.
Senior Iranian figures including the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended the general's funeral on Monday, where his daughter Zeinab Soleimani said the US and its ally Israel would both face repercussions.
In an address broadcast live on state television, she said: "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom."
She added that a "dark day" would befall the US and Israel as a result of his death in Baghdad on Friday.
In an address broadcast live on state television, she said: "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom."
She added that a "dark day" would befall the US and Israel as a result of his death in Baghdad on Friday.
He is expected to continue his predecessor's efforts to expand Iran's military influence in the Middle East.
The force he now leads is comparable with a combination of America's CIA and special forces, and commentators have compared his status to that of the US vice president.
General Soleimani was being closely watched by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia before he was killed, with Washington having believed he was responsible for attacks on its forces in the region over the past two decades.
His death, which has been described as a "significant escalation" in tensions between Washington and Tehran, sparked chants of "death to America" in the Iranian parliament.
Iran's supreme leader, who wept during prayers for Soleimani, has warned that "harsh retaliation" awaits the US, and defence minister Amir Hatami has threatened "crushing revenge".
Mr Trump has so far appeared unmoved by the rhetoric coming from Tehran, saying the US will not hesitate to carry out further strikes if Iran retaliates.
The president tweeted that the US would "quickly and fully strike back", and "perhaps in a disproportionate manner", should any American people or targets be attacked.
Major General Qassem Soleimani was targeted by a drone in an operation approved by President Donald Trump last week, prompting the Middle Eastern nation to vow revenge.
Senior Iranian figures including the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attended the general's funeral on Monday, where his daughter Zeinab Soleimani said the US and its ally Israel would both face repercussions.
In an address broadcast live on state television, she said: "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom."
She added that a "dark day" would befall the US and Israel as a result of his death in Baghdad on Friday.
In an address broadcast live on state television, she said: "Crazy Trump, don't think that everything is over with my father's martyrdom."
She added that a "dark day" would befall the US and Israel as a result of his death in Baghdad on Friday.
He is expected to continue his predecessor's efforts to expand Iran's military influence in the Middle East.
The force he now leads is comparable with a combination of America's CIA and special forces, and commentators have compared his status to that of the US vice president.
General Soleimani was being closely watched by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia before he was killed, with Washington having believed he was responsible for attacks on its forces in the region over the past two decades.
His death, which has been described as a "significant escalation" in tensions between Washington and Tehran, sparked chants of "death to America" in the Iranian parliament.
Iran's supreme leader, who wept during prayers for Soleimani, has warned that "harsh retaliation" awaits the US, and defence minister Amir Hatami has threatened "crushing revenge".
Mr Trump has so far appeared unmoved by the rhetoric coming from Tehran, saying the US will not hesitate to carry out further strikes if Iran retaliates.
The president tweeted that the US would "quickly and fully strike back", and "perhaps in a disproportionate manner", should any American people or targets be attacked.
KingKhanWC
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Iranians need to stop with the talk and act or shut up.
Iranian regime has only got stronger but they know any 'war' could see them lose power. I think Iran will not do anything serious, usual hit and run tactics. The Yanks will also hold back now, Trump has done what his masters asked of him months ago.
Iranian regime has only got stronger but they know any 'war' could see them lose power. I think Iran will not do anything serious, usual hit and run tactics. The Yanks will also hold back now, Trump has done what his masters asked of him months ago.
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