Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls Missile Strike a ‘Slap in Face’ to U.S.: Live Updates

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed his nation hours after Iran’s foreign minister said the country had ‘concluded’ its attacks on American forces. Also on Wednesday, a passenger jet crashed in the Iranian capital, killing everyone on board.

By The New York Times RIGHT NOW“What matters is that the presence of America,” in the region “should come to an end,” the ayatollah said. Here’s what you need to know: Iran says it did not ‘seek war’ after launching more than a dozen missiles at bases housing Americans. Iran’s supreme leader calls missile strike a ‘slap in the face’ to the U.S. At least 170 people were killed in Tehran, Iran, when a passenger jet crashed. Oil prices soar on news of attacks.

ImageIranians holding pictures of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani celebrated in Tehran after Iran launched missiles at American forces in Iraq. Iranians holding pictures of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani celebrated in Tehran after Iran launched missiles at American forces in Iraq.Credit...Wana News Agency, via Reuters Iran says it did not ‘seek war’ after launching more than a dozen missiles at bases housing Americans. Iran said on Wednesday it had “concluded” its attacks on American forces in Iraq and did “not seek escalation or war” after firing more than 20 ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq where American troops are stationed.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks in a tweet after Iran conducted the attacks in response to the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, a leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Senior Iraqi defense officials who work with the United States command said no Americans or Iraqis had been killed in the attacks. American officials did not, however, confirm if there were any casualties.

Britain, Sweden, Poland, Australia and Denmark, whose troops are stationed in Iraq alongside American forces, also said none of their service members had been killed.

Continue reading the main story

General Suleimani was killed on Friday in Baghdad in a drone strike ordered by President Trump. American officials said the general, who led the guard’s foreign expeditionary Quds Force, was planning imminent attacks on American interests. An American official has since described that intelligence as thin.

“Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched,” Mr. Zarif said.

Unlock more free articles. Create an account or log in “We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression,” he added.

Maps: How the Confrontation Between the U.S. and Iran Escalated Here’s how the situation developed over the last two weeks.

In a tweet, President Trump suggested that damages and casualties sustained by American forces were minimal. But he also said the assessment of the attacks was ongoing.

“All is well!,” he said in a tweet. “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!”

Continue reading the main story

The missiles, launched from Iran, struck the Al-Asad base in Baghdad and another in Erbil, in northern Iraq.

In a briefing in Washington, an official said that the Pentagon “had no confirmation” that any Americans had been killed.

Iranian news media reported the attacks began hours after the remains of General Suleimani were returned to his hometown in Iran for burial.

Hossein Soleimani, the editor in chief of Mashregh, the main Revolutionary Guards news website, said that more than 30 ballistic missiles had been fired at the base at Asad, in Anbar Province, in western Iraq.

In December 2018, Mr. Trump visited American military forces at Al-Asad. It was his first trip to troops stationed in a combat zone.

The base is an Iraqi base that has long been a hub for American military operations in western Iraq. Danish troops have also been stationed there in recent years.

The base in Erbil has been a Special Operations hub, home to hundreds of troops, logistics personnel and intelligence specialists. Transport aircraft, gunships and reconnaissance planes have used the airport as an anchor point for operations in both northern Iraq and deep into Syria.

Editors’ Picks

The Coolest Architecture on Earth Is in Antarctica

What Is the Keto Diet and Does It Work?

India’s ‘Pickle Queen’ Preserves Everything, Including the Past Continue reading the main story

Continue reading the main story

Iran’s supreme leader calls missile strike a ‘slap in the face’ to the U.S.

本站文章除注明转载/出处外，均为本站原创或翻译，转载前请务必署名,转载请标明出处
最后编辑时间为: 2020/01/08 17:56