Tag Archives: Iran

CNN reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo postponed a planned trip to Ukraine to deal with the ongoing developments out of Baghdad, the State Department announced Wednesday. Following a second day of protests, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday that “the situation around Embassy Baghdad has improved,” but that efforts by Iraqi government security forces “to clear militia members from …

Reuters reports: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly condemned U.S. attacks on Iran-allied militia group in Iraq, Iranian state TV reported on Wednesday, blaming the United States for the violence in the neighbouring country. “The Iranian government, nation and I strongly condemn the attacks,” state TV quoted Khamenei as saying. “Again that guy (Trump) has accused Iran for the …

Raw Story reports: On Tuesday, just hours before the New Years celebration, President Donald Trump issued a self-proclaimed “threat” against Iran, proclaiming that they “will be held fully responsible” for the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Iraq, and adding that they will pay “a very BIG PRICE!” The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is, & has been for hours, SAFE! …

The New York Times reports: Protesters broke into the heavily guarded compound of the United States Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday and lit fires inside to express their anger over American airstrikes that killed 24 members of an Iranian-backed militia over the weekend. Chanting “Death to America!” thousands of protesters and militia members demonstrated outside the embassy compound, throwing rocks, …

Agence France-Presse reports:  China, Iran and Russia will hold joint naval drills starting on Friday in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman, China’s defense ministry said on Thursday amid heightened tension in the region between Iran and the US. China will send the Xining, a guided missile destroyer, to the drills, ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a monthly news …

Reuters reports: In a press conference Friday evening, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford announced the US would be sending “hundreds” of US troops, as well as additional air defense capabilities, to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. “The president has approved the deployment of US forces which will …

Business Insider reports: Only 13 percent of Americans would support the US military joining Saudi Arabia in a conflict as part of a response to a recent attack on two major Saudi oil fields, a new Insider poll of US adults shows. The poll asked participants “what, if any, role do you think the US should take in a response …

CNN reports: Iran’s foreign minister has raised the specter of “all-out war” in the event of US or Saudi military strikes and that Saudi Arabia would have to fight “to the last American soldier.” Javad Zarif told CNN that Iran hoped to avoid conflict, adding that the country was willing to talk to its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the …

The Hill reports: House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said on Wednesday the U.S. should consider a “proportional military response” against Iran, among other potential actions, over its suspected involvement in drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil supply. The position from Cheney comes as Republicans such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) are calling on President Trump to pursue additional …

USA Today reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is heading to the Middle East Tuesday as the Trump administration again sent mixed messages about how the U.S. would respond to the crippling attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure. Pompeo has blamed Iran for Saturday’s strikes on the Abqaiq oil processing plant and a key Saudi oil field, where an estimated …

Reuters reports: President Donald Trump on Monday declared Tehran was likely behind strikes on Saudi oil facilities, but that he wanted to be sure and he hoped to “avoid” war. “It is certainly looking that way at this moment,” he told reporters when asked if he believes Iran carried out the attack. Trump said “we pretty much already know” but …

CNBC reports: Global oil prices spiked 20% when markets reopened on Monday, after a weekend attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities suspended the production of 5.7 million barrels a day. That amounts to roughly 5% of the world’s total daily crude oil production. State-run oil company Aramco said in a statement that work was underway to restore production. The U.S. …

Axios reports: Former national security adviser John Bolton resigned the day after a Monday discussion about Iran policy in which President Trump raised the possibility of relieving some sanctions, a person close to Bolton tells Axios. What happened: Bolton did not favor giving the Iranians relief and believed the maximum pressure campaign was working, the person, who spoke on condition …

Politico reports: U.K. Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt warned there would be “serious consequences” after Iran seized a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf. “We are absolutely clear that if this situation is not resolved quickly there will be serious consequences,” he told the BBC Friday evening. “We are not looking at military options. We are looking at a diplomatic way …

“I want to speak directly to the Iranian mullahs. I want to tell you I have known President Trump for, well, about 23-plus years. Let me tell you what’s not going to happen to help you out tonight and what could happen. You keep pushing this button, and I can promise you the president is never going to engage in …

The BBC reports: A British-flagged oil tanker has been seized in the Gulf by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Iran media say. The owners of the Stena Impero, which was bound for Saudi Arabia, say they have been unable to contact the vessel and it is “heading north towards Iran”. The company says there are 23 personnel on board and it …

Sky News reports: Britain’s ambassador to the US said Donald Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal in an “act of diplomatic vandalism” because it was agreed by his predecessor Barack Obama, according to the latest leaked cables. The May 2018 memo was said to have been written by Sir Kim Darroch after a visit to the US by Boris Johnson, …

The Washington Post reports: The House voted Friday to prevent President Trump from launching into war with Iran without getting Congress’ approval first, after more than two dozen Republicans joined Democrats to include the provision in the House’s annual defense authorization bill. The move sets up a likely showdown with the Senate over whether the Iran restriction, which includes an …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump said Wednesday that a war with Iran would not “last very long” or involve ground troops, as he seemingly dismissed warnings that limited U.S. military action could spiral into a larger conflict. Trump reiterated his desire to avoid a war but said “we’re in a very strong position if something should happen.” “It wouldn’t …

Mediaite reports: It currently appears that, under President Donald Trump, American foreign policy has devolved into a game of grade school playground exchanging of insults. At least that’s where we are in light of the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Trump responded on Twitter Tuesday to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani calling the Trump administration’s new economic sanctions …