Iran warned there would be severe retaliation after a US airstrike, approved by US President Donald Trump, killed General Qassem Soleimani. The US President warned if Iran strikes back, then America “will hit them harder than they have ever been hit before!” And on Tuesday, the US Defence Secretary Mark Esper warned the US was not seeking a war with Iran but was “prepared to finish one”.
Before the US Defence Secretary’s remarks, Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations questioned how Iran could respond to the killing of Soleimani.
Geranmayeh explained Iran could turn to the Middle East, its nuclear programme, or even use cyberattacks in retaliation to the US.
“Iran’s responses could come across a spectrum of measures, whether that’s on the Middle East or on its nuclear program, or through covert direct actions like cyberattacks on US territory,” Geranmayeh told CNBC.
Geranmayeh also noted the risk of attacks in country’s like Iraq and highlighted the close proximity between Iran and US operations in Syria, and Afghanistan.
Iran has warned of retaliation after the Soleimani killing
Protest in Iran after Qassem Soleimani’s killing
“We’re not just dealing with a third-rate country that’s incapable of responding,” Geranmayeh added.
The senior policy fellow warned the Trump administration has “essentially thrown a hand grenade into already extremely tense region”.
“This move has exposed every American boot on the ground to a possible retaliatory attack,” Geranmayeh finished.
It comes as tensions between the countries remains high, and on Tuesday US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNN that the US is not seeking a war with Iran but it is “prepared to finish one.”
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He also insisted the US had evidence to justify the attack that killed Iranian General Soleimani.
He said: “I can assure you it’s more than razor thin, it’s persuasive.
“The fact of the matter is Soleimani was caught red handed…one terrorist leader, of a terrorist organisation meeting with another terrorist leader to synchronise and plan additional attacks on American diplomats, forces or facilities. I think we took the right action to remove these players from the battlefield.”
Tensions across the globe spiked over the weekend after a US airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad airport on Friday.
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Qassem Soleimani funeral in Iran
Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike on Friday
We’re not just dealing with a third-rate country that’s incapable of responding
Thousands of Iranians took to the streets to demonstrate following the killing, with crowds chanting “death to America”.
The streets were filled once again for the funeral of Soleimani.
A stampede erupted at a funeral procession killing 56 people and injuring more than 200 others, according to reports.
The killing of the Iranian General on Friday has pushed Tehran to abandon the remaining limits of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
According to a report on Tuesday by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iran has also worked up 13 sets of plans for revenge for Soleimani’s killing.
Airstrike killing Soleimani at Baghdad airport
The state-run IRNA news agency later published a statement from the Supreme National Security Council denying the comment.
Iran’s parliament passed a bill declaring the US military’s command at the Pentagon and those acting on its behalf in Soleimani’s killing as “terrorists” subject to Iranian sanctions.
Following the killing of the Iranian general, Mr Trump took to Twitter to warn Iran about any retaliation.
Iran has warned they will strike back
He wrote: “The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment.
“We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way…and without hesitation!”
And on Monday, he insisted Iran would “never” have a nuclear weapon.
The UK has called for a de-escalation in tensions between the US and Iran.