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Top Iran commander Soleimani killed in US strike on Baghdad; Iran issues arrest warrant for Trump

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.

Bro, surely Iran will take the revenge once the late general is buried. This is the only muslim nation who has been steadfast against US. They have big presence in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Lebanon so they will do something and not run away like a few other countries.
 
Qassem Soleimani's daughter warns 'crazy Trump' a 'dark day' is coming
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.
https://news.sky.com/story/qassem-s...rns-crazy-trump-a-dark-day-is-coming-11902031

I hate that the daughter’s name changes as wanted by Western media Zainab, Zeinab based on who is translating.. similar issue with Qaddafi, Gaddafi
 
Bro, surely Iran will take the revenge once the late general is buried. This is the only muslim nation who has been steadfast against US. They have big presence in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Lebanon so they will do something and not run away like a few other countries.

Since the revolution, they have been under constant attack, via proxy or sanctions. The Iranian people have suffered for decades because they want to have their own chosen government in power. Iran has tried many times to make up with the US, after 911 they agreed to fight with the US against the Taliban, even giving them vital information such as each Taliban local commanders base/location. Yet the Yanks have continued their warfare.

Its time now for them to either put up or shut up. They don't have to go to war, they can crush the global economy in a week! US will not be able to destroy Iran if it were to block the oil route in the strait of Hormuz. This is their only chance to end their suffering once and for all. Once the global economy is in tatters , the citizens of the west will demand and end to anti-Iran policies.
 
US President Donald Trump has faced growing criticism over his threats to attack Iran's cultural sites.

Mr Trump made the threats amid fallout from the US assassination of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

The president said cultural sites were among 52 identified Iranian targets that could be attacked if Iranians "torture, maim and blow up our people".

The UN said the US and Iran had signed conventions to protect cultural heritage, including during conflict.

Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Friday on the orders of Mr Trump.

Who was Iran's Qasem Soleimani?
The killing has sharply increased regional tensions, with Iran threatening "severe revenge".

What were the president's threats?
The first came in a series of tweets on Saturday.

Mr Trump said the US had identified 52 Iranian sites, some "at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture", and warned they would be "hit very fast and hard" if Tehran carried out revenge attacks on US interests or personnel.

US ready to strike 52 Iranian sites, Trump warns
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to try to soften the threat by saying the US would act within international law.

But the president later repeated his threat, saying: "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."

On Monday, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway defended the president, saying he had not said he was targeting cultural sites, only "asking the question".

She also said: "Iran has many strategic military sites that you may cite are also cultural sites", before later clarifying her remark to say she was not suggesting Iran had camouflaged military targets as cultural sites.

What criticism did his comments draw?
The director general of the UN's cultural organisation, Unesco, Audrey Azoulay, said both Iran and the US had signed a 1972 convention to protect the world's natural and cultural heritage.

They have also both signed a 1954 convention protecting cultural property in the event of armed conflict. Mr Trump withdrew the US from Unesco in 2018, citing alleged anti-Israeli bias.

US Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy have said Mr Trump was "threatening to commit war crimes", echoing similar statements by Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

On Monday, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said cultural sites were protected by international law, and Britain expected that to be respected.

The wider region has suffered many cultural attacks carried out by the Islamic State group, which targeted mosques, shrines, churches and famous sites such as Palmyra in Syria. The Taleban in Afghanistan destroyed the world's tallest Buddha statues, in Bamiyan province.

Iran is home to two dozen Unesco World Heritage sites. These are landmarks the UN body believes need preserving for their cultural, historic or scientific significance. They include:

Persepolis, the capital of the ancient Persian Achaemenid Empire, whose earliest remains date back to the 6th Century BC
Naqsh-e Jahan Square in the city of Isfahan, which was built in the early 17th Century and 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.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51014237
 
Anyone who thinks Iran are bluffing needs to remember what happened in 1988. After the USS Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655 killing 290 civilians, an Iranian backed Syrian Palestinian group (unless you're naive enough to believe the official story that blamed Libya) brought down the plane over Lockerbie months later.

Iran won't respond conventionally, retaliation will come in a much more subtle form, but they've plenty of proxy forces to cause US and their allies trouble in the Middle East.

The government will have no option but to retaliate either as there'll be significant internal pressure on the regime to respond.
 
Anyone who thinks Iran are bluffing needs to remember what happened in 1988. After the USS Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655 killing 290 civilians, an Iranian backed Syrian Palestinian group (unless you're naive enough to believe the official story that blamed Libya) brought down the plane over Lockerbie months later.

Iran won't respond conventionally, retaliation will come in a much more subtle form, but they've plenty of proxy forces to cause US and their allies trouble in the Middle East.

The government will have no option but to retaliate either as there'll be significant internal pressure on the regime to respond.

What is your opinion on UK and US troops leaving Iraq now? Trump has said he will place sanctions on Iraq and not sure what dopy Boris is thinking?
 
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.

Southern Iraq is Shia majority but northern Iraq is Sunni majority and that's where the ISIS insurgency was and where most of the Baathist supporters are. Iran would've had a presence in Iraq and other areas with large Shia populations in order to grow their influence, it's the same reason why Iran has a presence in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan.
 
What is your opinion on UK and US troops leaving Iraq now? Trump has said he will place sanctions on Iraq and not sure what dopy Boris is thinking?

Well let's get real, those US forces in Iraq were stationed there to be a check on Iran. That's the main objective, not this crap about "training" the Iraqi security forces against ISIS (the best commander and trainer in the entire Middle East against ISIS was the guy Trump just murdered). There were never any intentions to get them out.

I forsee a new round of violence between the Shia militias, with Iran's full backing, and the US forces in Iraq as we saw in the mid-2000s, which'll justify a longer presence of US troops in far greater numbers so Republican donors in the defence industry will be ecstatic. Some people are foolishly talking up prospects of direct military confrontation but that's never been Iran's playbook - instead it's better to look at how they bled the US slowly in Iraq between 2003-11.

As for Britain, our government will do what it's always done which is sell itself like a cheap slag to Washington since we are no longer an empire that can throw its weight around. After Brexit, Britain desperately wants a trade deal with America so Boris's lips will be firmly attached to the orange backside.
 
Well let's get real, those US forces in Iraq were stationed there to be a check on Iran. That's the main objective, not this crap about "training" the Iraqi security forces against ISIS (the best commander and trainer in the entire Middle East against ISIS was the guy Trump just murdered). There were never any intentions to get them out.

I forsee a new round of violence between the Shia militias, with Iran's full backing, and the US forces in Iraq as we saw in the mid-2000s, which'll justify a longer presence of US troops in far greater numbers so Republican donors in the defence industry will be ecstatic. Some people are foolishly talking up prospects of direct military confrontation but that's never been Iran's playbook - instead it's better to look at how they bled the US slowly in Iraq between 2003-11.

As for Britain, our government will do what it's always done which is sell itself like a cheap slag to Washington since we are no longer an empire that can throw its weight around. After Brexit, Britain desperately wants a trade deal with America so Boris's lips will be firmly attached to the orange backside.

Now we have the US sending a letter but changing their tune, saying it was a mistake and troops are not ordered out of Iraq but merely repositioned. lol

Trade deal or not, UK has made its place in the world, being the poodle of the US.
 
Anyone who thinks Iran are bluffing needs to remember what happened in 1988. After the USS Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655 killing 290 civilians, an Iranian backed Syrian Palestinian group (unless you're naive enough to believe the official story that blamed Libya) brought down the plane over Lockerbie months later.

Iran won't respond conventionally, retaliation will come in a much more subtle form, but they've plenty of proxy forces to cause US and their allies trouble in the Middle East.

The government will have no option but to retaliate either as there'll be significant internal pressure on the regime to respond.

Agree with this. I don't know who is advising Trump, you would think it was Netenyahu the way things are going, but this might be good for Israel/America, but not for the rest of Europe. Iran was thawing with the lifting of sanctions before Trump's election, I think the Americans feared loss of clout in the region with Russia and Iran rising.
 
The general's death was revenge for the refinery attacks. The actual reason for this crisis lies beyond US
 
Huge numbers of black-clad mourners have turned out to pay their final respects to Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani ahead of his burial.

Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday, on the orders of President Donald Trump.

His body has now arrived in his hometown of Kerman in south-eastern Iran, where he is being buried on Tuesday morning.

Large crowds already turned out for a funeral procession in Tehran.

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.

In his homeland, Soleimani was hailed as a national hero and widely considered the second most powerful man in the country behind Supreme Leader Khamenei.

But not all Iranians saw him in the same positive light.

He was a hardliner and a dominant force in a regime that shot dead scores of protesters at the end of 2019. He also spent vast sums building up alliances and militias in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria at a time when US sanctions are impoverishing many Iranians, BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says.

Soleimani supported Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil conflict, aided the Shia militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, and guided Iraqi militia groups against the Islamic State group.

The US saw him as a terrorist, and President Trump said Soleimani was plotting "imminent" attacks on US diplomats and military personnel.

How was he mourned in Tehran?
State television showed huge crowds in Tehran for Monday's event. It said "millions" had shown up, although this figure is yet to be verified.

Mourners passed Soleimani's coffin over their heads and "death to America" chants were heard.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers and at one point was seen weeping.

Soleimani's remains were then taken to Qom, one of the centres of Shia Islam, where massive crowds also gathered for a ceremony, before the transfer to Kerman.

How have tensions escalated?
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.

Three European parties to the deal - Germany, France and the UK - urged Iran to stick to its terms.

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.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51015795
 
US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has denied US troops are pulling out of Iraq, after a letter from a US general there suggested a withdrawal.

The letter said the US would be "repositioning forces in the coming days and weeks" after Iraqi MPs had called for them to leave.

Mr Esper said there had been "no decision whatsoever to leave".

The confusion came amid threats to American forces after the US killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

He died in a US drone strike in Baghdad on Friday on the orders of Mr Trump.

Who was Iran's Qasem Soleimani?
Trump under fire for threat to Iranian cultural sites
The killing has sharply increased regional tensions, with Iran threatening "severe revenge".

What was in the letter?
It appeared to have been sent by Brig Gen William H Seely, head of the US military's task force in Iraq, to Abdul Amir, the deputy director of Combined Joint Operations.

It starts: "Sir, in due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament, and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR (Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve) will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement."

The letter says certain measures, including increased air traffic, will be conducted "during hours of darkness" to "ensure the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner".

It would also "alleviate any perception that we may be bringing more Coalition Forces into the IZ (Green Zone in Baghdad)".

How has it been explained?
Mr Esper told reporters in Washington: "There's been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq. I don't know what that letter is... We're trying to find out where that's coming from, what that is.

"But there's been no decision made to leave Iraq. Period."

The highest-ranking US soldier, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, then appeared at a briefing, saying the letter was "a mistake".

He said it was a draft which was poorly worded, had not been signed and should not have been released. It was being circulated for input, including from Iraqis.

"[The letter] was sent over to some key Iraqi military guys in order to get things co-ordinated for air movements, etc. Then it went from that guy's hands to another guy's hands and then it went to your hands. Now it's a kerfuffle."

Gen Milley reiterated that US troops were not leaving.

So what is happening?
Gen Milley said the issue was being "worked" with the Iraqis, but gave no details.

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said he had been told by a coalition source that the letter was to let the Iraqis know the US was moving troops out of the Green Zone to provide protection elsewhere and did not mean a withdrawal.

This has been backed up by other coalition sources, telling separate reporters that the move was to "thin out" the Baghdad personnel.

What are the US and other forces doing in Iraq?
There are just over 5,000 US troops in Iraq, part of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, which was set up in 2014 to tackle the Islamic State group after it had captured a large swathe of Syria and Iraq.

There are about a dozen primary member countries, and scores more providing non-combat support.

The main focus of the task force is to train and equip Iraqi forces.

On Sunday, Iraqi MPs passed a non-binding resolution calling for foreign troops to leave in the wake of Soleimani's assassination.

President Trump then threatened severe sanctions against Iraq if US troops left.

"We have a very extraordinarily expensive airbase that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it," he told reporters.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51014352
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> The US military on Monday told the Iraqi government American troops were preparing to pull out of the country but a top US general in Washington said the message was sent by "mistake" <a href="https://t.co/TobK2nS6hL">https://t.co/TobK2nS6hL</a> <a href="https://t.co/hW4vVBdARC">pic.twitter.com/hW4vVBdARC</a></p>— AFP news agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1214350436578320385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">At least 35 killed in stampede at funeral of Iranian general killed by US airstrike <a href="https://t.co/jQXfO5cNkl">https://t.co/jQXfO5cNkl</a> <a href="https://t.co/QcqBWHlCK0">pic.twitter.com/QcqBWHlCK0</a></p>— ITV News (@itvnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1214482707687845888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Fifty people have been killed in a stampede as Iranians flocked to the burial of a top commander killed in a US drone strike, officials say.

The deaths in Qasem Soleimani's hometown of Kerman led to the postponement of his interment. A new time will be announced later.

Millions are already estimated to have packed the streets for a series of funeral processions in Iran.


Soleimani's killing has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran.

The head of the Quds force was tasked with defending and projecting Iranian interests abroad, and was hailed as a hero in his home country.

To the US he was a terrorist, and in explaining why he ordered the strike President Trump said he was acting on an "imminent" threat.

It is unclear what caused the stampede in Kerman, south-eastern Iran, but vast numbers of people had been in the streets on Tuesday morning ahead of the planned burial.

A coroner quoted on Iran's ISNA put the death toll at 50, with those injured numbering more than 200.

In other developments:

In Iraq, thousands took to the streets in the southern city of Basra for the funeral procession of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, head of the Kataib Hezbollah militia group who was killed alongside Soleimani. Muhandis was the Iranian's top adviser and ally in Iraq, and a powerful leader among Iraq's Shia militias
In an interview, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called Soleimani's killing an "act of war" and said Iran's response would be against "legitimate targets"
The US reportedly denied a visa for Mr Zarif to visit the UN in New York this week, a move that appears to breach an agreement guaranteeing foreign officials access to the UN headquarters
The US has denied it is pulling out of Iraq, after a letter from a US general suggested there would be a withdrawal
Iranian parliamentarians have approved a motion designating the US Army and the Pentagon as terrorist organisations, and allocated extra funds for the force once headed by Soleimani
Top Iranian officials have renewed their threats of revenge for the killing.

"The martyr Qassem Soleimani is more powerful... now that he is dead," the Revolutionary Guards' top general, Maj Gen Hossein Salami, told crowds in Kerman.

The Guards were set up to defend Iran's Islamic system and are a major political and military force.

Mourners in Kerman chanted "death to America" and "death to Trump", reporters there said.

At one stage the theme music to the 1970 US film Love Story was played, something BBC Monitoring say may be more for its sentimentality rather than the film being widely known in Iran.

On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers at Soleimani's funeral in Tehran, at one point weeping over his coffin.

Unconfirmed estimates from Iranian state television put the number who took to the streets of Iran's capital alone as "millions". The crowds were large enough to be seen in satellite images.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51015795
 
50 ppl killed in stampede, you would think Iran is imploding? They have already taken a massive loss before revenge?
 
50 ppl killed in stampede, you would think Iran is imploding? They have already taken a massive loss before revenge?

Was expected considering the number of people that are attending.

RIP
 
The government has taken "urgent measures" to protect Britons and UK interests in the Gulf after the killing of an Iranian general in a US drone strike.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the House of Commons that General Qassem Soleimani was "no friend of the UK or our allies" and criticised Iran's record on human rights, including holding dual nationals in jail.

He said its actions had a "seriously destabilising impact in the region".

Mr Wallace said: "The Department for Transport are reviewing the threat state and advice to Red Ensign shipping on a daily basis. Supported by the Ministry of Defence, we will issue guidance imminently.

"At the same time, Defence are changing the readiness of our forces in the region - including helicopters and ships on stand-by to assist if the need arises."

The US government is also warning ships travelling across Middle Eastern waterways there is the "possibility of Iranian action against US maritime interests".

The US is braced for a "***-for-tat" response to the killing.

Mr Wallace said the UK is working with the other E3 countries - France and Germany - to restore the Iran nuclear deal.

Defence Secretary talking in parliament 07/01/2019

'We urge all parties to de-escalate'
He said: "Her Majesty's government urges Iran to return to the normal behaviour of the country it aspires to be and resist the urge to retaliate.

"None of us wants conflict, none of us wants our citizens, our friends and our allies to be put at risk."

Mr Wallace said the UK government will look at the implications of the Iraqi parliament's vote which called for the expulsion of foreign troops.

But he said the government should allow them to remain, reminding them the coalition was there at the request of the Iraqi government to deal with the threat of Islamic State.

He said: "Our commitment to Iraq's stability and sovereignty is unwavering and we urge the Iraqi government to ensure the coalition is able to continue our work countering this shared threat."

He also said Boris Johnson had been speaking to leaders including Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump and Angela Merkel for several days.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the questions he set out to the prime minister on Friday had not been answered and accused Mr Johnson of hiding behind his defence secretary.

He asked if Mr Johnson was scared to stand up to Mr Trump because he "hitched his wagon to a Trump trade deal".

He said: "This assassination puts British troops and civilians in danger."

He called the killing of the Iranian general illegal and asked how the government could see it was legal if they did.

The defence secretary said it is for the US to explain if it was illegal or not and added: "From the information and intelligence that I have seen, what I could say is that it is clear there was a case for self-defence to be made about an individual who had come to Iraq to co-ordinate murder and attacks on US citizens."

But Mr Wallace repeated the earlier defence of the PM, and said: "This prime minister actually believes in a cabinet government and letting the members of the cabinet who are responsible for the policy to come to the House to be able to answer the questions around the policy matter."

Mr Johnson will lead a meeting of the National Security Council this afternoon, which was moved from its original time slot this morning and now follows the briefing to MPs.

It comes as NATO says it will be moving personnel out of Iraq due to safety concerns.

A NATO official said: "In everything that we do, the safety of our personnel is paramount. As such, we have temporarily suspended our training on the ground, and we are taking all precautions necessary to protect our people.

Mike Pompeo says international law will be adhered to in targeting of Iran

Pompeo says 'international law' will be observed
"This includes the temporary repositioning of some personnel to different locations both inside and outside of Iraq. NATO maintains a presence in Iraq. And we are prepared to continue our training and capacity-building when the situation permits."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held firm to the American line, saying "we got it right".

He also said he was confident that should Iran "make another bad choice", US President Donald Trump would respond "in a decisive, strong manner".

British ministers including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Mr Wallace, have sought to distance the UK from the US suggesting cultural sites might be targeted as part of US strikes on Iran.

Mr Pompeo said every target was being reviewed and the US would conduct itself inside the international laws of war.

Ahead of the council meeting, Mr Johnson spoke to Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The leaders discussed the situation in Iraq following the death of Qaseem Soleimani. They agreed on the importance of reducing tensions and finding a diplomatic way through the current crisis, and of continuing to work together in the fight against terror.

"They agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and must comply with the terms of the nuclear deal."

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-government-puts-forces-on-stand-by-to-protect-britons-in-iran-11903152
 
IRGC have just launched multiple missiles towards a US base at 01:20 (local time), the same time when their general was assassinated.

Iran wasn't playing around.
 
IRGC have just launched multiple missiles towards a US base at 01:20 (local time), the same time when their general was assassinated.

Iran wasn't playing around.

This is like a kid throwing a punch at a Prime Mike Tyson. Iran by responding like this are playing into Trump's hands and giving him exactly what he wants
 
This is like a kid throwing a punch at a Prime Mike Tyson. Iran by responding like this are playing into Trump's hands and giving him exactly what he wants

The thing is that no one really expected Iran to target the US directly. Most analysts thought that this would just increase the proxy activity.

So this is quite unprecedented
 
This is like a kid throwing a punch at a Prime Mike Tyson. Iran by responding like this are playing into Trump's hands and giving him exactly what he wants

We need to see the video. IRGC have released one, can someone please post on here.
 
The thing is that no one really expected Iran to target the US directly. Most analysts thought that this would just increase the proxy activity.

So this is quite unprecedented

It is stupidity of the highest order, now Trump is going to obliterate all of Iran's cultural sites like he has promised and there will be no going back.
 
Second wave of attack has apparently started.
If this is true then WTH is Iran doing?
 
Second wave of attack has apparently started.
If this is true then WTH is Iran doing?

Good move, go hard or go home. Iran is hoping the US public opinion will be strong in stopping this war once they realise Iran is not playing ludoo anymore.
 
Second wave of attack has apparently started.
If this is true then WTH is Iran doing?

Giving Trump what he wants. Iran is being suicidal here frankly speaking. The US can flatten Iran with its Millitary technology in minutes if this war is fought from distance. However if Iran can sucker US troops in then it will be a painful exercise for the Americans.
 
Second wave of attack has apparently started.
If this is true then WTH is Iran doing?

Taking the bait :facepalm:

Are Irani official morons? What's the purpose of this?

Just move on. Ok, their General died, they should sit back and avoid direct confrontation :facepalm:
 
Good move, go hard or go home. Iran is hoping the US public opinion will be strong in stopping this war once they realise Iran is not playing ludoo anymore.

US public opinion will only be negatively influenced once they see the large number of body bags, maimed GI's coming home and the billions-trillions of dollars being spent. If Iran is thinking they can match the US when it comes to technology, air power, rockets they are badly mistaken, if they can sucker the US in by getting their ground troops into Iran and getting them involved in a painful guerrilla war then it will be a more painful exercise for the US but Iran should have dealt with this more smartly and indirectly.
 
Giving Trump what he wants. Iran is being suicidal here frankly speaking. The US can flatten Iran with its Millitary technology in minutes if this war is fought from distance. However if Iran can sucker US troops in then it will be a painful exercise for the Americans.

US will never put down boots in Iran.
 
Giving Trump what he wants. Iran is being suicidal here frankly speaking. The US can flatten Iran with its Millitary technology in minutes if this war is fought from distance. However if Iran can sucker US troops in then it will be a painful exercise for the Americans.

Iranians have been suffering for decades, sanctions include stopping medicine entering the country. They have no choice to fight back now after US murdered their 2nd biggest leader. Any war will ruin the US, Iran is already in ruins.

If US retaliate, Iran will attack the strait of Hormuz, WW3 will begin then.
 
Second wave of attack has apparently started.
If this is true then WTH is Iran doing?

It's risky.

They're trying to call Trump's bluff but the narrative can quickly change once American assets have been attacked. This is always a narrative-driven thing, which means Trump has a lot more to work with now in terms of convincing the American public.

In the end, I don't think this is sensible at all from Iran. Emotionally driven decision-making.
 
US public opinion will only be negatively influenced once they see the large number of body bags, maimed GI's coming home and the billions-trillions of dollars being spent. If Iran is thinking they can match the US when it comes to technology, air power, rockets they are badly mistaken, if they can sucker the US in by getting their ground troops into Iran and getting them involved in a painful guerrilla war then it will be a more painful exercise for the US but Iran should have dealt with this more smartly and indirectly.

The Afghans with AK-47 sent plenty of body bags, wont be an issue for Iran. Some might be dead right now, we just don't know but if Iran uses it's biggest missiles on US bases, not enough bags to go around. You are underestimating Iran, just like Trump did.
 
Iran attack: Crude oil prices jump after Iraq missile attacks

Oil prices have jumped after at least two airbases hosting US troops in Iraq were attacked.

Crude oil jumped by as much as 4.5% to $65.65 in Asian morning trade on concerns that this could disrupt oil supplies from the Middle East.

So-called safe haven assets, like gold and the Japanese yen, also rose sharply on the news.

At the same time global stock prices were sent lower on concerns over the growing conflict in the Middle East.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index fell by more than 2.5%.

Iranian state television said the attack was a retaliation for the killing of the country's top commander Qasem Soleimani.

The attack happened just hours after the funeral service of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike on Friday.

His death had raised concerns that the conflict between the US and Iran could escalate further.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50979492
 
15 missiles fired and not a single casualty?

There are rules in place on reporting casualities, it's standard for next in kin to be informed before any news is released so we'll have to wait for a day or more to find out the aftermath.
 
Lol Iran is threatening to attack Dubai, Israel, Saudia Arabia in case the US retaliates over the missile attacks
 
Iran is going bonkers. I hope US teaches them a lesson. It wouldn't take a lot from US to wipe out the whole Iran.
 
Qassem was not a saint but what USA did was unacceptable. They can't just assassinate a foreign general like that.

Very bad move.
 
Fears of British casualties in Iranian airstrikes in Iraq. Iran's ego might have just led to a WW3 and if they actually attack Dubai, it would officially become WW3 because there are peoples from different nationalities in Dubai and govts of those countries wouldn't take it lightly.
 
I don't think there were any casualties, just mere face saving. I don't think America will escalate further.
 
Iran is going bonkers. I hope US teaches them a lesson. It wouldn't take a lot from US to wipe out the whole Iran.

Unfair to punish an entire country for the mad actions of a few. This goes for both Iran and the US
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former Sec. of State <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnKerry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnKerry</a> - who negotiated the Iran nuclear deal - on confirmed attacks on Iraqi military bases following the killing of General Soleimani: "I think it's a tragedy for the world that instead of diplomacy, this administration has rushed to confrontation." <a href="https://t.co/TVX1ChG8mW">pic.twitter.com/TVX1ChG8mW</a></p>— Maura Barrett (@MauraBarrettNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MauraBarrettNBC/status/1214719498529525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Unfair to punish an entire country for the mad actions of a few. This goes for both Iran and the US

So is it okay for Iran to threaten Dubai, which houses thousands of foreign nationals, just because they see it as a tourist destination? What does Dubai have to do with this whole conflict?
 
Was one of Trump's election campaign mantras not stopping America's endless wars? Instead the fool is hell bent on starting new ones.
 
Do you people think America will respond to this? I mean part of me says they have to, if they don't then they lose credibility and Trump is not gonna back down especially in an Election year.
 
Do you people think America will respond to this? I mean part of me says they have to, if they don't then they lose credibility and Trump is not gonna back down especially in an Election year.

America will probably ignore this if no damage is done and the Iranians will dance around like fools thinking they have done some great deed.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Ukrainian passenger plane carrying 180 people crashes near Tehran - local media</p>— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1214750326588411909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
So is it okay for Iran to threaten Dubai, which houses thousands of foreign nationals, just because they see it as a tourist destination? What does Dubai have to do with this whole conflict?

It's their way of pressuring the US client states in the region that they better use their influence to get the US and Trump to back off or be prepared to face the consequences in the event of a large scale US operation. Basically in a nutshell "if we are going down we are going to take all of you down with us as well"
 
America will probably ignore this if no damage is done and the Iranians will dance around like fools thinking they have done some great deed.

Actually if the US and Trump does not retaliate, it will be 1-1 US and Iran. Getting the US and Trump to back down will be seen as a massive win for Iran and a huge slap on Trumps face.
 
Actually if the US and Trump does not retaliate, it will be 1-1 US and Iran. Getting the US and Trump to back down will be seen as a massive win for Iran and a huge slap on Trumps face.

No one wins, what do they win. America have eliminated a terrorist and that is the whole point of the exercise.
 
No one wins, what do they win. America have eliminated a terrorist and that is the whole point of the exercise.

They won't be eliminating anything if the Iranians replace the guy with someone else
 
I think no one wants to go to war with Iran there is not enough public support. Even hardliners are against it.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Ukrainian passenger plane carrying 180 people crashes near Tehran - local media</p>— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1214750326588411909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

another Boeing
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Ukrainian passenger plane carrying 180 people crashes near Tehran - local media</p>— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1214750326588411909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Location of this is extremely bad. I really hope this has nothing to do with Iran-USAIsrael conflict. It is a massive tragedy regardless but plane intentionally taken down with passengers in it makes it far more tragic. Praying for the safety of passengers and sympathies for the families :(
 
No one wins, what do they win. America have eliminated a terrorist and that is the whole point of the exercise.
There's like an Irish saying or something along the lines of "one mans terrorist is another mans patriot".
 
Everyone and their dogs know that Iran is not capable of attacking US directly so they will probably attack UAE, Iraq, KSA which means the people at the receiving end will be once again innocent civilians and if they do actually attack KSA and UAE (where there are a lot of Pakistanis) then there is no option for Pakistan other than to support USA in this. I can't believe Pakistanis are actually supporting Iran in this.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Iran, today.<br><br>- Fired missiles at US base in Iraq<br><br>- Threatened to strike locations in Israel and the UAE<br><br>- Qassem Soleimani buried<br><br>- Ukrainian Boeing 737 with 180 passengers crashes near Tehran<br><br>- 4.9 magnitude earthquake in country's southwestern region</p>— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) <a href="https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1214759463934054400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
I understand there will be brainwashed uneducated people that support and follow these terrorists.

Bottom-line, you cannot just assassinate a foreign official in complete violation of international law. Trump is a terrorist for majority of Muslim people and some Muslim states, can a Muslim state take him out via a missile attack in the US if they feel like it?
 
Everyone and their dogs know that Iran is not capable of attacking US directly so they will probably attack UAE, Iraq, KSA which means the people at the receiving end will be once again innocent civilians and if they do actually attack KSA and UAE (where there are a lot of Pakistanis) then there is no option for Pakistan other than to support USA in this. I can't believe Pakistanis are actually supporting Iran in this.

Iran has threatened to launch attacks inside the US conventionally, unconventionally, directly and via proxies if the US indulges in any hanky panky. Iran is clearly telling the US that they have nothing to lose and will go out all guns blazing in the event of a conflict.

The American people like to be gung ho and patriotic, nationalistic with respect to the army but do they have the stomach for casualties and damage at to home?
 
At least two airbases housing US troops in Iraq have been hit by more than a dozen ballistic missiles, according to the US Department of Defence.

Iranian state TV says the attack is a retaliation after the country's top commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike in Baghdad, on the orders of US President Donald Trump.

The Pentagon says at least two sites were attacked, in Irbil and Al Asad.

It is unclear if there have been any casualties.

"We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq. The president has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said the attack was in retaliation for the death of Soleimani on Friday.

"We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted," it said via a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif later issued a statement on Twitter, claiming the attack was self-defence and denied seeking to escalate the situation into war.

President Trump tweeted shortly afterwards, insisting "all is well", while adding that they had not yet assessed possible casualties.

The attacks took place hours after the burial of Soleimani. The second attack occurred in Irbil shortly after the first rockets hit Al Asad, Al Mayadeen TV said.

Earlier in the day, President Trump said a US withdrawal of troops from Iraq would be the worst thing for the country.

His comments came in the wake of a letter, which the US military said had been sent in error, to Iraq's prime minister, apparently agreeing to a request by Iraqi MPs to pull troops out.

The US has around 5,000 troops in Iraq.

The UK foreign office told the BBC: "We are urgently working to establish the facts on the ground. Our first priority is the security of British personnel."

The UK has put the Royal Navy and military helicopters on standby amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said earlier.

How did we get here?
The assassination of Soleimani on January 3 was a major escalation in already deteriorating relations between Iran and the US.

The general - who controlled Iran's proxy forces across the Middle East - was regarded as a terrorist by the US government, which says he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American troops and was plotting "imminent" attacks.

Iran vowed "severe revenge" for his death.

Mr Trump, meanwhile, warned the US would respond in the event of retaliation "perhaps in a disproportionate manner".

"He was a monster. And he's no longer a monster. He's dead," Mr Trump said, defending his decision. "He was planning a big attack, a bad attack for us. I don't think anyone can complain about it."

Millions of Iranians turned out for the commander's funeral, with mourners chanting "death to America" and "death to Trump".

Image copyrightEPA
Image caption
Iran says the attack was in retaliation for killing the country's top commander Qasem Soleimani
A stampede at the burial in Soleimani's hometown Kerman killed 50 people and injured 200 more on Tuesday.

After the event resumed, top Iranian officials renewed their threats of revenge.

"The martyr Qasem Soleimani is more powerful... now that he is dead," the Revolutionary Guards' top general, Maj Gen Hossein Salami, told the crowds.

How does Iraq fit into this?
Iran supports a variety of Shia militia groups in neighbouring Iraq. On Friday, Soleimani had just arrived at Baghdad airport and was travelling in a convoy alongside officials from such groups when their cars were hit by several US missiles.

Iraq now finds itself in a difficult position as an ally both of Iran and of the US. Thousands of US troops remain in the country to assist in the broader struggle against the Sunni Muslim Islamic State (IS) group but Iraq's government insists the US has acted beyond the terms of this agreement.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi labelled the missile strike that killed Soleimani as a "brazen violation of Iraq's sovereignty and a blatant attack on the nation's dignity".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51028954
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1214739853025394693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Bottom-line, you cannot just assassinate a foreign official in complete violation of international law. Trump is a terrorist for majority of Muslim people and some Muslim states, can a Muslim state take him out via a missile attack in the US if they feel like it?

Obama identified Soleimani as a terrorist, thats why the US eliminated him.

I dont know why you are bringing muslims into it, what has that got to do with anything.
 
Obama identified Soleimani as a terrorist, thats why the US eliminated him.

I dont know why you are bringing muslims into it, what has that got to do with anything.

Your statement is very naive and shows a lack of understanding of Middle Eastern politics and culture. Iran considers Trump to be a terrorist so I guess that gives it the right to eliminate Trump as they wish as well?
 
Iran acts like all Islamic but they have no issues in attacking Muslim countries like Iraq and UAE?
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1214739853025394693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lol I dare Trump to expose his allies in the Middle East to risk.
 
Iran acts like all Islamic but they have no issues in attacking Muslim countries like Iraq and UAE?

Fellow Muslim countries have no issues in providing US with military bases to attack Iran and Iraq so its fair for Iran to strike back at the US and the nations who dared to support the US
 
Fellow Muslim countries have no issues in providing US with military bases to attack Iran and Iraq so its fair for Iran to strike back at the US and the nations who dared to support the US

Even in today's strike, only Iraqis were killed and from what it looks like those bloodthirsty Iranians are going to attack the main city in UAE too.
 
Obama identified Soleimani as a terrorist, thats why the US eliminated him.

I dont know why you are bringing muslims into it, what has that got to do with anything.

This is what General Stanley McChrystal has to say about his Iranian counterpart

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gen. Stanley McChrystal: “I don’t think we should view him as an evil person. I think we should view him just like I believe in my country. I think Qassem Suleimani believes in his country.”<br><br>Worth watching this well-timed BBC doc on Suliemani's life, which came out last year. <a href="https://t.co/0HTwwSi7kt">pic.twitter.com/0HTwwSi7kt</a></p>— Lee Fang (@lhfang) <a href="https://twitter.com/lhfang/status/1214711719764713472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Feeling bad for people in Dubai. They have been just dragged into this issue without any reason. A lot of Pakistanis are now stranded in Dubai as Dubai airspace has been shut down as well I think. Iran needs to calm down a bit now.
 
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