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 by Staff Writers Washington (AFP) Jan 5, 2020
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that Iran will probably try to attack American troops after a US strike killed a top Iranian commander. "We think there is a real likelihood Iran will make a mistake and make a decision to go after some of our forces, military forces in Iraq or soldiers in northeast Syria," he told Fox News in remarks aired Sunday. His comments came as the military advisor to Iran's supreme leader said there would be a "military" response "against military sites" by Tehran after the US killing of Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of Iran's Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of its Revolutionary Guards. "It would be a big mistake for Iran to go after them," Pompeo said. The US has about 60,000 troops in the region, including around 5,200 in Iraq. Washington ordered thousands more soldiers to the Middle East on Friday after Soleimani's killing. "We're preparing for all kinds of various responses," including cyber attacks, Pompeo said. The chief of the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah on Sunday also singled out the US army as a target for reprisals after the killing of Soleimani and a senior Iraqi commander. "The American army killed them and it will pay the price," said Hassan Nasrallah. Outraged by the deadly American drone strike, Iraq's parliament on Sunday urged the government to end the presence of US-led coalition forces in the country. They have been there since 2014, when Baghdad invited them in to support local troops fighting the Islamic State group. The Iraqi cabinet would have to approve any decision but the premier had earlier indicated support for a troop ouster. "We are confident that the Iraqi people want the United States to continue to be there to fight the counterterror campaign," Pompeo said. "We'll have to take a look at what we do when the Iraqi leadership and government makes a decision."
Macron urges Iran to avoid 'escalation', voices 'solidarity' with US Macron noted "mounting tensions in Iraq and in the region", and expressed concern that Iranian forces that were commanded by slain general Qasem Soleimani could take actions that would destabilise the region, in a statement issued by the Elysee presidential office. The French president "reiterated the necessity that Iran put an end" to such activities. "The priority should be pursuing international coalition action against Daesh, with full respect for Iraq's sovereignty, for its security and for regional stability," Macron said, using an Arabic name for the Islamic State group.
Berlin urges prudence and de-escalation; Russia, France, China urge caution Berlin (AFP) Jan 3, 2020 Germany on Friday urged restraint and de-escalation after the US killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, sending tensions soaring in the region. "We are at a dangerous point of escalation. It is now important through prudence and restraint to contribute to de-escalation," said Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. "We, too, view Iran's activities in the region with great concern," she said, but warned that any conflicts can only be resolved through "diplomatic paths". " ... read more
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