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| Trump says Iran will never have a nuclear weapon as Tehran mourns Suleimani – live updates | Trump says Iran will never have a nuclear weapon as Tehran mourns Suleimani – live updates |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest developments as huge crowds pack streets of Tehran in memory of Iranian general | Follow the latest developments as huge crowds pack streets of Tehran in memory of Iranian general |
| EU foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Iran in Brussels on Friday, two diplomats have told Reuters. | |
| Earlier Boris Johnson, Emanuel Macron, and Angela Merkel issued a joint statement calling for deescalation of the crisis. | |
| It said: | |
| Hundreds of Yemenis have taken part in a protest in Sana’a called by Tehran-backed Huthi rebels to vent anger over the US assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani, AFP reports. | |
| Donald Trump’s capslock diplomacy continues: | Donald Trump’s capslock diplomacy continues: |
| Unesco has reminded the US that it has signed treaties committing it not to harm cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict, after Donald Trump stood by his threat to go after Iranian cultural sites, warning of a “major retaliation” if Iran strikes back for the killing of Suleimani. | Unesco has reminded the US that it has signed treaties committing it not to harm cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict, after Donald Trump stood by his threat to go after Iranian cultural sites, warning of a “major retaliation” if Iran strikes back for the killing of Suleimani. |
| The UN cultural body said that under provisions of the 1954 and 1972 conventions – which have been ratified by both the US and Iran – signatory states undertake not to take any deliberate measures which might damage cultural and natural heritage on the territory of other states party to those conventions. | The UN cultural body said that under provisions of the 1954 and 1972 conventions – which have been ratified by both the US and Iran – signatory states undertake not to take any deliberate measures which might damage cultural and natural heritage on the territory of other states party to those conventions. |
| Downing Street has released a readout of a phone call between Boris Johnson and the prime minister of Iraq, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, about the crisis. | Downing Street has released a readout of a phone call between Boris Johnson and the prime minister of Iraq, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, about the crisis. |
| It said: | It said: |
| This suggests that the UK is trying to persuade Baghdad not to expel US troops from Iraq as its parliament has vowed. | This suggests that the UK is trying to persuade Baghdad not to expel US troops from Iraq as its parliament has vowed. |
| Two senior Senate Democrats have called on Trump to immediately declassify the administrations reasoning for the strike on Suleimani, as suggested by former national intelligence director James Clapper (see earlier). | Two senior Senate Democrats have called on Trump to immediately declassify the administrations reasoning for the strike on Suleimani, as suggested by former national intelligence director James Clapper (see earlier). |
| In a letter to Trump the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and a Senate foreigns relation committee member, Robert Menendez, said the White House’s classified notification sent to Congress late on Saturday under the War Powers Act was insufficient and inappropriate. | In a letter to Trump the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, and a Senate foreigns relation committee member, Robert Menendez, said the White House’s classified notification sent to Congress late on Saturday under the War Powers Act was insufficient and inappropriate. |
| “It is critical that national security matters of such import be shared with the American people in a timely manner,” they wrote. | “It is critical that national security matters of such import be shared with the American people in a timely manner,” they wrote. |
| Late on Sunday, the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said the House would introduce and vote this week on a war powers resolution to limit the president’s military actions regarding Iran. In a letter to House Democrats, Pelosi called the airstrike provocative and disproportionate and said it had endangered US service members, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran. A similar resolution was introduced in the Senate. | Late on Sunday, the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said the House would introduce and vote this week on a war powers resolution to limit the president’s military actions regarding Iran. In a letter to House Democrats, Pelosi called the airstrike provocative and disproportionate and said it had endangered US service members, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran. A similar resolution was introduced in the Senate. |
| Iran’s UK ambassador, Hamid Baeidinejad, has condemned Trump’s threat to target Iran’s cultural sites if there it retaliating against Suleiman’s killing. | Iran’s UK ambassador, Hamid Baeidinejad, has condemned Trump’s threat to target Iran’s cultural sites if there it retaliating against Suleiman’s killing. |
| Retweeting criticism of Trump’s comments by Tristram Hunt, the director of the V&A museum, Baeidinejad said Trump threat was a disturbing step towards his goal of war. | Retweeting criticism of Trump’s comments by Tristram Hunt, the director of the V&A museum, Baeidinejad said Trump threat was a disturbing step towards his goal of war. |
| Donald Trump has defended his threat to target Iranian cultural sites – widely seen as a war crime – if Tehran retaliates for the killing of Suleimani. | Donald Trump has defended his threat to target Iranian cultural sites – widely seen as a war crime – if Tehran retaliates for the killing of Suleimani. |
| On bellicose form, the US president also lashed out at Iraq following its parliament’s demand for American troops to be expelled from that country, and vowed to respond with crippling sanctions. | On bellicose form, the US president also lashed out at Iraq following its parliament’s demand for American troops to be expelled from that country, and vowed to respond with crippling sanctions. |
| Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One a day later, he sought to offer a justification for threat he tweeted on Saturday. “They’re allowed to kill our people,” Trump said, according to a pool report. “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.” | Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One a day later, he sought to offer a justification for threat he tweeted on Saturday. “They’re allowed to kill our people,” Trump said, according to a pool report. “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.” |
| Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it sees no threat of nuclear weapons proliferation after Iran’s decision to abandon limitations on enriching uranium, Reuters reports. | Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it sees no threat of nuclear weapons proliferation after Iran’s decision to abandon limitations on enriching uranium, Reuters reports. |
| The ministry said that Russia remained fully committed to the Iran nuclear deal | The ministry said that Russia remained fully committed to the Iran nuclear deal |
| Iran announced on Sunday that it would lift limitations on uranium enrichment, taking a further step back from commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, but said it would continue to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog. | Iran announced on Sunday that it would lift limitations on uranium enrichment, taking a further step back from commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, but said it would continue to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog. |
| Here’s a summary of events so far: | Here’s a summary of events so far: |
| Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly wept presiding over a vast public funeral procession in Tehran for Qassem Suleimani. Khamenei’s voice cracked with emotion as he recited prayers over the coffin of Suleimani and others killed in the attack, amid raised tensions between Tehran and Washington. | Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has publicly wept presiding over a vast public funeral procession in Tehran for Qassem Suleimani. Khamenei’s voice cracked with emotion as he recited prayers over the coffin of Suleimani and others killed in the attack, amid raised tensions between Tehran and Washington. |
| Police in Tehran said millions of mourners gathered in the Iranian capital. Observers said they were the largest crowds in Tehran since the funeral in 1989 of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. | Police in Tehran said millions of mourners gathered in the Iranian capital. Observers said they were the largest crowds in Tehran since the funeral in 1989 of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. |
| Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said the the scale of the crowds were a signal to Donald Trump that the US could not break the will of the Iranian people. Zarif also predicted the end of the “malign US presence” in the region. | Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said the the scale of the crowds were a signal to Donald Trump that the US could not break the will of the Iranian people. Zarif also predicted the end of the “malign US presence” in the region. |
| Suleimani’s daughter, Zeinab, told mourners that the US can expect revenge. She said: “America and Zionism should know that my father’s martyrdom will lead to awakening … in the resistance front and bring about a dark day for them and flatten their homes.” | Suleimani’s daughter, Zeinab, told mourners that the US can expect revenge. She said: “America and Zionism should know that my father’s martyrdom will lead to awakening … in the resistance front and bring about a dark day for them and flatten their homes.” |
| Diplomats across the world have called for calm and implicitly criticised the US in the wake of the killing of Suleimani. The foreign minister of Germany described a threat by Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Iraq if it withdrew US troops as “not very helpful”. China said it believes Iran was forced to reduce its commitment to the nuclear deal. Saudi Arabia said tensions in the regions were at a “very dangerous moment.” | Diplomats across the world have called for calm and implicitly criticised the US in the wake of the killing of Suleimani. The foreign minister of Germany described a threat by Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Iraq if it withdrew US troops as “not very helpful”. China said it believes Iran was forced to reduce its commitment to the nuclear deal. Saudi Arabia said tensions in the regions were at a “very dangerous moment.” |
| Downing Street has said targeting cultural sites in Iran, as Trump has suggested, would breach international warfare conventions. Responding to Trump’s latest comments, Boris Johnson’s spokesman said there were “international conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural heritage”. | Downing Street has said targeting cultural sites in Iran, as Trump has suggested, would breach international warfare conventions. Responding to Trump’s latest comments, Boris Johnson’s spokesman said there were “international conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural heritage”. |
| The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is to travel to Russia this week for talks with Vladimir Putin about the crisis. She is due to visit Moscow on Saturday at the invitation of Putin, the Kremlin said. | The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is to travel to Russia this week for talks with Vladimir Putin about the crisis. She is due to visit Moscow on Saturday at the invitation of Putin, the Kremlin said. |
| Oil prices have climbed above $70 a barrel for the first time in eight months amid fears that the US airstrike may trigger a retaliation. The attack has sent shockwaves through global markets, causing equity indices in Asia, the US and Europe to slump while the benchmark price of Brent crude climbed to its highest level since May last year. | Oil prices have climbed above $70 a barrel for the first time in eight months amid fears that the US airstrike may trigger a retaliation. The attack has sent shockwaves through global markets, causing equity indices in Asia, the US and Europe to slump while the benchmark price of Brent crude climbed to its highest level since May last year. |
| The husband of the jailed British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has criticised the killing of Suleimani, saying it is hard to demand Iran complies with the rule of law if its adversaries play fast and loose with the same law. Richard Ratcliffe again urged Johnson, the British prime minister, to find time to meet him to discuss his wife’s plight. | The husband of the jailed British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has criticised the killing of Suleimani, saying it is hard to demand Iran complies with the rule of law if its adversaries play fast and loose with the same law. Richard Ratcliffe again urged Johnson, the British prime minister, to find time to meet him to discuss his wife’s plight. |
| Downing Street has said targeting cultural sites in Iran would breach international warfare conventions in an implicit rebuke to Donald Trump for threatening to bomb protected heritage sites. | Downing Street has said targeting cultural sites in Iran would breach international warfare conventions in an implicit rebuke to Donald Trump for threatening to bomb protected heritage sites. |
| Boris Johnson’s official spokesman refused to criticise Trump directly but made clear the UK government would not support such a course of action, after the US president said he could target 52 Iranian sites if Iran retaliated over the assassination of Qassem Suleimani – “some at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture”. | Boris Johnson’s official spokesman refused to criticise Trump directly but made clear the UK government would not support such a course of action, after the US president said he could target 52 Iranian sites if Iran retaliated over the assassination of Qassem Suleimani – “some at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture”. |
| Responding to Trump’s latest comments, Johnson’s spokesman said there were “international conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural heritage”, implying the UK does not believe such threats would be carried out. | Responding to Trump’s latest comments, Johnson’s spokesman said there were “international conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural heritage”, implying the UK does not believe such threats would be carried out. |
| Helicopter video footage released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Fars news agency shows the scale of the crowds in Tehran. | Helicopter video footage released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Fars news agency shows the scale of the crowds in Tehran. |
| Saudi Arabia, Iran’s regional rival and a key ally of the US, has called for calm. | Saudi Arabia, Iran’s regional rival and a key ally of the US, has called for calm. |
| Its foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said the kingdom does not want to see further escalation of tensions in the region at a “very dangerous moment”. | Its foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said the kingdom does not want to see further escalation of tensions in the region at a “very dangerous moment”. |
| Speaking at press briefing in Riyadh, Reuters quoted him saying: | Speaking at press briefing in Riyadh, Reuters quoted him saying: |
| The Iranian ambassador to the UK is to complain formally about a frontpage article in the Times claiming that Iranian generals are prepared to kill British troops in response to the assassination of Qassem Suleimani. | The Iranian ambassador to the UK is to complain formally about a frontpage article in the Times claiming that Iranian generals are prepared to kill British troops in response to the assassination of Qassem Suleimani. |
| Hamid Baeidinejad said he strongly condemned “the vicious lie and provocative news by #Times today”. | Hamid Baeidinejad said he strongly condemned “the vicious lie and provocative news by #Times today”. |
| He added on Twitter: “I will ask the concerned UK authorities to take swift action to stop such malicious false propaganda in this very sensitive time.” | He added on Twitter: “I will ask the concerned UK authorities to take swift action to stop such malicious false propaganda in this very sensitive time.” |
| The story was headlined “We will kill UK troops, warns Iran”. Although the embassy frequently takes issue with the slant of specific stories in the British press, including what it feels is anti-Iranian bias, it is rare for the ambassador to threaten a formal complaint. | The story was headlined “We will kill UK troops, warns Iran”. Although the embassy frequently takes issue with the slant of specific stories in the British press, including what it feels is anti-Iranian bias, it is rare for the ambassador to threaten a formal complaint. |
| Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, asked Trump: “Have you EVER seen such a sea of humanity in your life?” | Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, asked Trump: “Have you EVER seen such a sea of humanity in your life?” |
| Zarif predicted the end of what he called the “malign US presence” in the region. | Zarif predicted the end of what he called the “malign US presence” in the region. |
| Observers say the scale of the crowds in Tehran are “astonishing”. | Observers say the scale of the crowds in Tehran are “astonishing”. |