World Powers Slam Iran for Rocket Attack against US Bases in Iraq

  • 1/8/2020
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British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab condemned on Wednesday the Iranian missile strike against bases hosting coalition forces in Iraq and urged Iran to refrain from further military action. The Ministry of Defense said Wednesday there were no British casualties in the attack launched in retaliation for the US drone strike that killed Irans top Revolutionary Guard commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Baghdad last week. US officials have said there are no immediate reports of US casualties. The Iraqi military also said no casualties were reported. "We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation, Raab said. “A war in the Middle East would only benefit the ISIS group and other terrorist groups.” Coalition forces are in Iraq to train local forces to fight the extremists. Germany condemned the Iranian strike, urging Tehran against engaging in further escalation. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said the government "rejects this aggression in the sharpest possible terms." None of the German troops stationed in Iraq were injured. Germany joined several European countries in saying their troops in Iraq were not harmed, including France, Poland, Denmark and Finland. The EUs diplomatic chief condemned Irans rocket strikes, urging an end to the "spiral of violence" as Europe tries to defuse the growing crisis. "The latest rocket attacks on air bases in Iraq used by US and coalition forces, among them European forces, are yet another example of escalation and increased confrontation," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters. "It is in no-ones interest to turn up the spiral of violence even further," he said, warning that the latest crisis was hampering the fight against ISIS. EU foreign ministers are holding emergency talks on the Iran crisis on Friday to discuss what the bloc can do to reduce tensions, but its options for action are limited. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will raise the situation when she meets British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London later Wednesday, said "the use of weapons must stop" to allow space for dialogue. Meanwhile, a Russian lawmaker warned that a conflict between the US and Iran might lead to a nuclear war. “Reciprocal strikes by the US and Iran may lead to an all-out war in the region,” said Vladimir Dzhabarov. He added that the UN Security Council should get involved to prevent further escalation in the Middle East. China’s foreign ministry expressed its concern over the spike in tensions, saying it hopes matters can swiftly “cool off.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that Beijing has called for restraint by all sides and is in close consultation with the governments involved, including at the UN and through Chinas embassy in Baghdad.

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