Published 06:56 IST, January 9th 2020
Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr slams US-Iran de-escalation rhetoric
Shia cleric and politician, Muqtada al-Sadr, on Wednesday, urged the militia groups to stop carrying out aggressive attacks on their soil
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Iraqi Shia cleric and politician, Muqtada al-Sadr, on Wednesday, urged the militia groups to stop carrying out aggressive attacks on their soil. He asserted that the crisis Iraq was experiencing is over following de-escalation rhetoric from both Iran and the US. He added that Iraqis should still seek to expel foreign troops from their country.
Addressing the media, the Muqtada al-Sadr said, “I call on the Iraqi factions to be deliberate, patient, and not to start military actions, and to shut down the extremist voices of some rogue elements until all political, parliamentary and international methods have been exhausted.”
Tensions between Iran & US
The longstanding tension between Iran and the US surfaced again as Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was slain by the US in an airstrike near Iraq's Baghdad International Airport, ordered by US President Donald Trump on Friday.
Post this, Iran had threatened "harsh retaliation" and subsequently, two airstrikes were reported near US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone on Saturday and Sunday. As per recent reports, a third attack was launched on Thursday as three Katyusha rockets hit the Baghdad’s Green Zone.
Following the developments, Trump said that the US would strike 52 sites in the Islamic Republic if any Americans were harmed. After this, there has been a continuous war of words between the officials of the two countries.
In no time, on Wednesday morning, the Al-Assad and Ebril airbases in Iraq that house the US and coalition forces were hit by multiple rockets. This incident was first reported by Iranian state TV, who described it as Tehran’s revenge operation over the killing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
Trump’s statement on the recent attacks
US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, addressed the media and spoke about the recent attacks on Iraqi military bases housing US officials. In his address, he opened the possibility of a truce and said that both the countries can work together to establish peace. However, as the Iranian news agency released the preparation video for the attack just after Trump’s address indicates otherwise.
Trump said, “Time has come for the UNSC members to recognize this. We must work together to make a deal with Iran for world peace. Peace cannot prevail in the middle east till Iran wages violence. Your campaign of terror and mayhem will not be tolerated.”
06:56 IST, January 9th 2020