Tensions flare between Trump, Iran after top general killed

Iran’s threats of revenge against the United States over its killing of Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani sparked a war of words between President Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as mourners gathered to grieve for the general.

“The Americans did not realize what a great mistake they made,” Rouhani said as he visited Soleimani’s home to express condolences.

Gen. Gholamali Abuhamzeh, the commander of the Guards in the southern province of Kerman, said, “Vital American targets in the region have been identified by Iran since long time ago … some 35 U.S. targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach,” according to Reuters via the Tasnim news agency.

The general reportedly identified the Strait of Hormuz, a key international shipping route, as a potential target.

Trump responded in a string of tweets Saturday that the United States had identified 52 targets of its own.

“Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime,” Trump tweeted.

He added Soleimani “was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years.”

Trump continued, “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”

Trump’s strike marked a major escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran, though the president said he ordered Soleimani’s death to stop a war, not start one.

Thousands gathered in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was also killed in the airstrike.

“Death to America, death to Israel,” the mourners chanted. “No, no, America.”

The procession of mostly men in black military fatigues made its way to the holy city of Karbala, with mourners raising red flags associated with unjust bloodshed and revenge.

Soleimani’s remains will be transported to Iran, where more funeral services will be held Sunday and Monday before his body is laid to rest in his hometown of Kerman.

The United States has ordered all citizens to leave Iraq and temporarily closed its Baghdad embassy, where Iranian-backed militia demonstrators protested for two days, breaching the compound and setting fire to a reception area.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a new bulletin Saturday warning of the possibility of Iranian cyberattacks.

Herald wire services contributed to this report.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2tuwgUx