Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemns US airstrikes

The supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on January 1 strongly condemned the US airstrikes on a militant group in Iraq. Khamenei expressed his dissent over his twitter handle. The US military had carried out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Kataib Hezbollah militia group, in response to the killing of a US civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base, the Pentagon said on December 29. 

Read: US Military Strikes Iran Backed Paramilitary Group Kataib Hezbollah In Iraq, Syria

Iran calls US strikes 'an act of terrorism'

Iran also condemned the strikes on December 30 calling it an 'act of terrorism'. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told the media in an official statement that the US military aggression against Iraq and Iraqi forces are direct evidence of US terrorism and Tehran condemns it. At least 25 militia fighters were killed and 55 others were wounded following three US airstrikes in Iraq informed the Iraqi security and militia. There were four local Kataib Hezbollah commanders among the dead. 

Read: Iran Calls US Airstrikes On Iraq, Syria An 'act Of Terrorism'

Shia paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah was accused by the United States for carrying out a strike involving more than 30 rockets which killed the US civilian contractor and injured four US service members and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Just a month ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iranian-backed forces for a series of attacks on bases in Iraq and warned Iran that any attacks by Tehran or proxies that harmed Americans or allies would be answered with a decisive US response. Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned that the US will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that they act in their own self-defence and deter further bad behaviour from militia groups or from Iran.

Read: Iran: Ayatollah Khamenei 's Inner Circle Imposed With US Sanctions

Khamenei's inner circle imposed with US sanctions

On November 4, nine people close to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, which includes his chief of staff, one of his sons and the head of the judiciary were imposed with sanctions by the United States. A senior administration official informed that the sanctions are designed to impose more limits on Khamenei's inner circle. Khamenei's chief of staff Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani as well as Vahid Haghanian have been targeted, who the department said has been referred to as the Supreme Leader's right hand. Ebrahim Raisi, who leads Iran's judiciary, and Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei's second son, were also sanctioned, the US Treasury told the media.

The Treasury Department also blacklisted Iran's Armed Forces General Staff. The move coincided with the 40th anniversary of Iran's seizure of the US embassy in Tehran. The US sanctions block every US-controlled property or interests held by those targeted and prohibit anyone or any entities in the United States from dealing with those sanctioned. 

Read: US Sanctions Top Aides To Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei, Including His Son