Iran warns against 'hostile actions' on anniversary of Soleimani assassination

On Saturday, January 2, on the first anniversary of the killing of Commander Qasem Soleimani, various Iranian political and military officials issued warnings over hostile actions that can be taken against Iran. This comes after the US and Iran has beefed up military activity in the Middle-East ahead of the first death anniversary of slain Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. 

American military officials with knowledge of the latest intelligence from the region told CNN that Iran has increased its maritime presence in the Gulf in the last two days and is also moving short-range ballistic missiles into neighbouring Iraq. The US has repeatedly blamed rocket attacks on its embassy in Iraq's highly fortified Green Zone on Iranian proxies.

US - Iran battle 

"New intelligence from Iraq indicate that Israeli agent-provocateurs are plotting attacks against Americans—putting an outgoing Trump in a bind with a fake casus belli. Be careful of a trap, @realDonaldTrump. Any fireworks will backfire badly, particularly against your same BFFs”, wrote Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on his official Twitter handle. 

In another tweet, he wrote how President Trump is wasting money by sending armadas to their region. He further mentioned that intelligence from Iraq has indicated a plot to fabricate ‘pretext of war’. He further wrote, “Iran doesn't seek war but will OPENLY & DIRECTLY defend its people, security & vital interests”. 

Read: Iran Alleges Trump Trying To Fabricate Reason To Start War, Says Tehran Will Not Surrender

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The latest report of increased military activity by Iran in the region has raised concern among the security experts, who believe that it could escalate tensions between the two long-time foes. The relations between Iran and the US soured after the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. The tensions fired-up further after the US killed Qassem Solaimani in a drone strike last year in January, which resulted in Tehran attacking two American bases in Iraq a few days later.

Read: Donald Trump Accuses Iran Of US Embassy Attack, Threatens Strong Retaliation

Also Read: Iran Summons Turkish Envoy Over Prez Erdogan's Poem Which Allegedly Flared ‘separatism’

(Image Credits: Twitter/@JZarif)