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| Iran: Suleimani funeral crush death toll increases to 50 - latest updates | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Mourners are crushed in city of Kerman during procession for general killed by US drone strike | Mourners are crushed in city of Kerman during procession for general killed by US drone strike |
| In his 13-minute exchange with reporters, Pompeo offered no further evidence that Suleimani posed a direct threat to US lives. | |
| This is what he said when challenged about the imminence of the threat the Iranian military commander posed: | |
| Q: Would you push back against Trump hitting cultural sites in Iran? | Q: Would you push back against Trump hitting cultural sites in Iran? |
| “Every action we take will be consistent with international law,” Pompeo said. | “Every action we take will be consistent with international law,” Pompeo said. |
| “I know the strike saved American lives, I’m confident about that,” Pompeo said. | “I know the strike saved American lives, I’m confident about that,” Pompeo said. |
| Q: Were lawyers consulted about the attack on Suleimani? | Q: Were lawyers consulted about the attack on Suleimani? |
| We never act without full legal vetting, Pompeo said. He said he was confident this took place before the attack. | |
| Pompeo insists Iran will not get a nuclear weapon on “our watch”. The previous administration chose to “underwrite and appease”, we have chosen to confront, Pompeo said. | |
| Q: Iran says Suleiman was on a diplomatic mission. | Q: Iran says Suleiman was on a diplomatic mission. |
| Does anyone believe Suleiman was on a peace mission? We know that isn’t true, Pompeo said. This is Iranian propaganda. | Does anyone believe Suleiman was on a peace mission? We know that isn’t true, Pompeo said. This is Iranian propaganda. |
| Q: Why did the US deny a visa to Javad Zarif? | |
| We can’t comment on visa issues, Pompeo said. | We can’t comment on visa issues, Pompeo said. |
| Q: How imminent was the threat posed by Suleimani? | Q: How imminent was the threat posed by Suleimani? |
| We could see clearly all of Suleimani’s previous “handiwork”. If you are looking imminence look no further than the days leading up to the attack. It was the right decision, Pompeo said. | We could see clearly all of Suleimani’s previous “handiwork”. If you are looking imminence look no further than the days leading up to the attack. It was the right decision, Pompeo said. |
| In his opening remarks, Pompeo says Iran is “actively working to undermine the peace process” in Afghanistan. | In his opening remarks, Pompeo says Iran is “actively working to undermine the peace process” in Afghanistan. |
| You can watch Pompeo’s press conference here: | You can watch Pompeo’s press conference here: |
| The death toll from the crush at Suleimani’s funeral has increased to 50, Reuters reports, citing Iran’s ISNA news agency. | The death toll from the crush at Suleimani’s funeral has increased to 50, Reuters reports, citing Iran’s ISNA news agency. |
| INSA quoted Abbas Amian of the coroner’s office for Kerman province. The funeral, which has been postponed, started in Kerman, Suleimani’s home town. | INSA quoted Abbas Amian of the coroner’s office for Kerman province. The funeral, which has been postponed, started in Kerman, Suleimani’s home town. |
| The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, is due to give a press conference in the next half an hour. | The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, is due to give a press conference in the next half an hour. |
| Syrian state media have more on Putin’s rare visit to Damascus for talks with Iran’s ally Bashar al-Assad. | Syrian state media have more on Putin’s rare visit to Damascus for talks with Iran’s ally Bashar al-Assad. |
| Germany’s minister for EU affairs, Heiko Maas, said Europe could not “shrug its shoulders” at Iran’s decision to breach the terms of the nuclear agreement in a sign of the parlous state of relations. | Germany’s minister for EU affairs, Heiko Maas, said Europe could not “shrug its shoulders” at Iran’s decision to breach the terms of the nuclear agreement in a sign of the parlous state of relations. |
| He said: “We still believe that this is an important agreement that will prevent Iran from coming into possession of a nuclear bomb.”But we will not be able to take note of announcements with a shrug of our shoulders that the commitments in Tehran will no longer be met.” | He said: “We still believe that this is an important agreement that will prevent Iran from coming into possession of a nuclear bomb.”But we will not be able to take note of announcements with a shrug of our shoulders that the commitments in Tehran will no longer be met.” |
| Maas was speaking ahead of a meeting in Brussels with his French and British counterparts, including the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab. | Maas was speaking ahead of a meeting in Brussels with his French and British counterparts, including the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab. |
| The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has arrived in Damascus for talks with Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, according to Syrian state media and Russia’s Ifax. | The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has arrived in Damascus for talks with Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, according to Syrian state media and Russia’s Ifax. |
| The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has repeated his call for a diplomatic solution to the crisis as he headed to Brussels for talks with his German and French counterparts. | The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has repeated his call for a diplomatic solution to the crisis as he headed to Brussels for talks with his German and French counterparts. |
| Nikki Haley, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and in many eyes a future Republican presidential candidate, has claimed the only people mourning the loss of Suleimani are the “Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates”. | Nikki Haley, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and in many eyes a future Republican presidential candidate, has claimed the only people mourning the loss of Suleimani are the “Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates”. |
| “You don’t see anyone standing up for Iran,” Haley told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night. “You’re not hearing any of the Gulf [states], you’re not hearing China, you’re not hearing Russia. The only ones that are mourning the loss of Suleimani are Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates.” | “You don’t see anyone standing up for Iran,” Haley told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night. “You’re not hearing any of the Gulf [states], you’re not hearing China, you’re not hearing Russia. The only ones that are mourning the loss of Suleimani are Democrat leadership and our Democrat presidential candidates.” |
| Downing Street has said force protection measures for British troops in the region were kept under “constant review”. | Downing Street has said force protection measures for British troops in the region were kept under “constant review”. |
| “The safety and security of our personnel is of paramount importance. We keep our force protection measures under constant review,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said. | “The safety and security of our personnel is of paramount importance. We keep our force protection measures under constant review,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said. |
| Asked why the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, rather than Boris Johnson would be making a statement on the situation in the Commons, the spokesman said: “The PM leads a cabinet government and the response to events in the Middle East is a collective cabinet response. | Asked why the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, rather than Boris Johnson would be making a statement on the situation in the Commons, the spokesman said: “The PM leads a cabinet government and the response to events in the Middle East is a collective cabinet response. |
| “The prime minister continues to speak to world leaders. He has overseen the ministerial response and will chair the national security council later today.” | “The prime minister continues to speak to world leaders. He has overseen the ministerial response and will chair the national security council later today.” |
| Here’s a summary of events so far: | Here’s a summary of events so far: |
| Dozens of people have been killed in a crush in the south-eastern Iranian city of Kerman, where hundreds of thousands of mourners have gathered for the burial of the military commander Qassem Suleimani. Emergency officials told state TV that 40 people had been killed and 213 injured. | Dozens of people have been killed in a crush in the south-eastern Iranian city of Kerman, where hundreds of thousands of mourners have gathered for the burial of the military commander Qassem Suleimani. Emergency officials told state TV that 40 people had been killed and 213 injured. |
| Suleimani’s burial has been postponed due to the size of the crowd. It comes a day after Iranian police said millions gathered to mourn Suleimani in Tehran, in the largest turnout since the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. | Suleimani’s burial has been postponed due to the size of the crowd. It comes a day after Iranian police said millions gathered to mourn Suleimani in Tehran, in the largest turnout since the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. |
| Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has vowed that Iran will respond “proportionately” to the killing of Suleimani. He described the US-ordered drone strike as an act of state terrorism and claimed Donald Trump had no respect for international law. | Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has vowed that Iran will respond “proportionately” to the killing of Suleimani. He described the US-ordered drone strike as an act of state terrorism and claimed Donald Trump had no respect for international law. |
| Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the supreme national security council, said 13 “revenge scenarios” were being considered by Tehran. Even the weakest option would prove “a historic nightmare for the Americans”, he said. | Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the supreme national security council, said 13 “revenge scenarios” were being considered by Tehran. Even the weakest option would prove “a historic nightmare for the Americans”, he said. |
| Javad Zarif has also been told he will not get a US visa to travel to the United Nations later this week. He accused the US of violating the 1947 UN HQ Agreement. | Javad Zarif has also been told he will not get a US visa to travel to the United Nations later this week. He accused the US of violating the 1947 UN HQ Agreement. |
| Boris Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the UK national security council to discuss the crisis. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has travelled to Brussels for talks with his European counterparts. | Boris Johnson is due to chair a meeting of the UK national security council to discuss the crisis. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has travelled to Brussels for talks with his European counterparts. |
| Germany is reducing its troop numbers in Iraq for security reasons after the US killing of Suleimani. It is the first coalition withdrawal since the Iraqi parliament voted on Sunday to call for the withdrawal of US forces from the country. | Germany is reducing its troop numbers in Iraq for security reasons after the US killing of Suleimani. It is the first coalition withdrawal since the Iraqi parliament voted on Sunday to call for the withdrawal of US forces from the country. |
| Javad Zarif insists that Iran respects international law, unlike Donald Trump. | Javad Zarif insists that Iran respects international law, unlike Donald Trump. |
| CNN has broadcast more of its interview with the Iranian foreign secretary. In it he explained that Iran’s response to the killing of Suleimani will be proportionate because it abides by international law. | CNN has broadcast more of its interview with the Iranian foreign secretary. In it he explained that Iran’s response to the killing of Suleimani will be proportionate because it abides by international law. |
| Speaking about Friday’s drone strike in Baghdad, Javad Zarif said: | Speaking about Friday’s drone strike in Baghdad, Javad Zarif said: |
| He added: | He added: |