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The United States violated three principles: Iraqi sovereignty and the agreement they had with Iraq, the got a response from the Iraqi parliament [to expel US troops]; they violated the emotions of the people, they will get a response from the people; they killed one of our most revered commanders and they took responsibility for it. This is state terrorism … and we will respond, but we will respond proportionately, not disproportionately because we are committed to law. We are law abiding people are we not lawless like President Trump.
He added:
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We have people on our side in this region. That’s much more important. Beautiful military equipment does not rule rule the world, people rule the world.
He [Trump] needs to wake up and apologise. He has to apologise, he has to change course. He cannot add mistake upon another mistake. He is just making it worse for America. He is destroying the US constitution, he is destroying the US political process, he is destroying the rule of law in the United States.
New Day (@ NewDay) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called President Trump’s decision to order the airstrike that killed top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani an act of “state terrorism” in an interview with CNN. https://t.co/NHxEPJhTTxpic.twitter.com/NuKXgILpWF
January 7,
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(**************************************** 7. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (am) *********** (EST) ************(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************:
Javad Zarif prevented by US from attending UN
Iranian foreign minister, (Mohammad Javad Zarif) , has been told he will not get a US visa to travel to the United Nations later this week, AP reports (**********************************************
Javad Zarif told CBS This Morning, that the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, informed the UN secretary general, who in turn relayed to Zarif, that they did not have time to review my request . (**********************************************
It’s not clear that Zarif’s request has been formally rejected, which would trigger legal technicalities that could affect future visa applications.
A US official said the visa application had not been processed but declined to comment on whether it had been formally denied. The State Department cited visa confidentiality laws that bar the release of such information with certain limited exceptions.
Zarif had applied for the visa in order to speak to a UN Security Council session Thursday about the importance of upholding the UN charter.
Under its obligations as the host country of the UN headquarters, the US is required in most circumstances to issue visas to foreign officials for meetings at the world body. However, there are exceptions and the US has severely restricted the movements of Iranian diplomats in New York in the past.
Javad Zarif (@ JZarif)
Denying me a visa in violation of 2019 UNHQ Agreement pales in comparison to:
– Pompeo’s threat to starve Iranians (crime against humanity) -Trump’s bluster about cultural heritage (war crime)
)
But what are they really afraid of? Truth?
January 7,
Updated (at 8.) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** am EST
EST **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 49
Suleimani’s burial postponed
Suleimani’s planned burial in his home town of Kerman has been postponed due to the size of the crowd, after mourners were killed in the crush , according to state media.
Fars News Agency said the revised timing for Suleimani’s burial will be announced shortly.*********** گ ی گ گ فارس فارس(@ FarsNews_Agency)
An official in the amount of the funeral of Shaker Sardar Shahbad Haj Qasem Suleimani: a burial ceremony with evidence of congestion with which a long time has been spent. Precise time burying ceremonies with my Michigan flags.
https://t.co/KqRZYTtRPB
(January 7,
****************************************************************************************************************************************************** Kerman map
Updated (at 8.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (am EST)
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40 killed in funeral crush
The death toll in the crush at Suleimani’s burial has risen to 42, according to the state-backed Fars News Agency.
Fars cited Iran’s head of emergency services, Pirhossein Kolivand, for the revised figure. It also said 300 people were injured in the incident.
Updated (at 7.) **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (am EST)
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Iran will respond ‘proportionately ‘
The killing of Suleimani by the US was an act of state terrorism and (Iranwill respond proportionately, the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif,has told CNN.
He said: “This is an act of aggression against Iran, and it amounts to an armed attack against Iran, and we will respond. But we will respond proportionately. ”
Zarif also said Donald Trump was threatening an international war crime by pledging to attack cultural sites if Iran retaliates against Suleimani’s killing.
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“He has no respect for international law. That he is prepared to commit war crimes, because attacking cultural sites is a war crime, this disproportionate response is a war crime. But he doesn’t care it seems about international law.
Has made the US more secure? That’s the price for arrogance, for ignorance, for lack of respect. Their days in our region are numbered, not because anybody will take any action against him but because they are not welcome.
The United States has to wake up to the reality that the people of this region are enraged. That the people of this region want the United States out. The United States has been in in this region for many years and has not brought itself or the region any security. We leave it at that. ”
CNN Early Start (@ EarlyStart) ************************************************************** (# NEW******************************************************************** @ fpleitgenCNN as the country deals with the death of Soleimani. @ JZarif: “Attacking cultural sites is a war crime … but he doesn’t care it seems about international law … Their days in our region are numbered. ” @ cnnipic.twitter.com/W3LjGGcQSm (January 7,************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Updated (at 7.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** am EST**************
(6.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ (amEST************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: 23
Fars new agency has released helicopter footage showing the huge crowds that have gathered for Suleimani’s burial in his home town of Kerman.
(**************************************************************************************** Faris(@ FarsNews_Agency) (King Suleiman …) **********************************************
Pictures of Bhai’s presence in the presence of a million Kermanyha
pic.twitter.com/ lTk0DErj************** (January 7, ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Updated (at 7.) ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (am EST)
********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************: ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Iranian state media have revised down the casualty figures from the funeral crush to and injured.
Fars News agency cited Iran’s head of emergency services, Pirhossein Kolivand, for the revised figure. (************************************* گ ی گ گ فارس فارس(@ FarsNews_Agency) President Sazman Urgence Kashur: Fotihahai Nashi is crowded with the funeral procession of one million million pilgrims, Hajj Qasem Sulaymani فر Never Est. The boundaries of ۱۹۰ Nefre Nez Shocked by Shedgand.
January 7,
Updated at 7 . am EST
(************************************************************************************************** (5.) am
EST 07: 55
********************************************************************************** Patrick Wintour
Germany is reducing its troop numbers in Iraq for security reasons after the US killing of Suleimani.
It is the first coalition withdrawal since
************************************************************************************ from US officials.
The German decision – set out in a letter from the defense minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and the foreign minister, Heiko Maas, to the German parliament – underlines the extent to which the assassination may have weakened the years-long efforts of the coalition forces to fight Islamic State in Iraqand Syria. Nato has already announced that all training of Iraqi forces has been suspended.
Updated (at 6.) ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** (am EST)
EST
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Iran considering ‘ (revenge scenarios’)
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(******************************************************************************************************************Ali Shamkhani Photograph: Reuters Photographer / Reuter / REUTERS (************************************
A senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering 14 scenarios to avenge Suleimani’s killing, according to the state-backed Fars news agency.
“We will take revenge, a hard and definitive revenge,” the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Gen Hossein Salami, told mourners in Kerman.
Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and military commanders have said Iranian retaliation for the US action on Friday would match the scale of Soleimani’s killing but that it would be at a time and place of Tehran’s choosing.
Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the supreme national security council, said 15 “revenge scenarios” were being considered, Fars news agency reported. Even the weakest option would prove “a historic nightmare for the Americans”, he said.
Fars News Agency (@ EnglishFars) Top Security Official: Iran Has Scenario to Avenge Gen. Soleimani’s Assassination, Even Weakest One Is Historical Nightmare for USpic.twitter.com/2EMNEaNkl4 (January 7, ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Trump has threatened strikes on 55 Iranian targets, including cultural sites, ifIranretaliates.
Updated (at 6.) am EST
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(Boris Johnson) is to chair a meeting of the national security council and the foreign secretary,Dominic Raab
The so-called “E3” – Britain, Germany and France – have jointly called for “de-escalation” of the tensions between the US and (Iran.)
The Ministry of Defense refused to comment on reports that it is stepping up contingency plans to evacuate military and civilian personnel from neighborhood Iraq amid fears they could be targets for Iranian reprisals.
The Times reported that a team of about senior military planners and liaison officers had been dispatched to the embassy in Baghdad over the weekend.
The Foreign Office was coy over reports that it was scaling back staffing at British embassies in the Middle East.
A spokesman said: “The British embassies in both Baghdad and Tehran are open. The safety and security of our staff is of paramount importance and we keep our security posture under regular review. ”
The Defense secretary, Ben Wallace, is due to update MPs – returning to Westminster following their Christmas break – on the latest situation in the region.
Raab also is due to fly to Washington later this week to meet US counterpart, Mike Pompeo, after the secretary of state criticized the lack of support by the Europeans – including the UK – for the US action.
Mark Esper, the US defense secretary, has been forced to deny that America was about to withdraw its troops from Iraq, where the strike on General Soleimani took place.
A leaked letter from a US Marine Corps commander said: “We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.” It followed a vote in the Iraqi parliament on Sunday, backed by the prime minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops including British forces.
Johnson emphasizes the need to maintain a coalition presence in Iraq against Islamic State when he spoke by telephone to Abdul-Mahdi on Monday.
About (UK troops are stationed in Iraq in the fight against Islamic state, while the US has 5, (**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************, prompting fears of a withdrawal that could cripple the battle against the terror group.
Updated (at 5.) ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** am EST
(5.) amEST20:)
Welcome to live coverage of the continuing aftermath from the US killing of Qassem Suleimani amid reports of a deadly crush at his funeral procession.
According to an initial state TV report,39 People were killed in the incident at Kerman, Suleimani’s home town, where his burial is taking place.
Videos posted online showed people lying lifeless on a road, with others shouting and trying to help them. The crush was reported to have started when the burial procession got under way.
Iranian TV gave the casualty toll in its online report, without saying where it obtained the information.
Pirhossein Koulivand, the head of Iranian emergency medical services, earlier spoke by telephone to state TV and confirmed the incident took place.
“Unfortunately as a result of the stampede, some of our compatriots have been injured and some have been killed during the funeral processions,” he said.
A procession in Tehran on Monday drew more than 1 million people in the Iranian capital, crowding both main thoroughfares and side streets in Tehran.
Updated at 6. (am EST)
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