Iran abandons nuclear limits after US killing of General Qassem Soleimani
Iran announced it will no longer abide by the limits contained in the 2015 nuclear deal and Iraq's Parliament called for the expulsion of all American troops from Iraqi soil.
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Associated Press
Tehran
January 6, 2020
UPDATED: January 6, 2020 05:58 IST
Iran President Hassan Rouhani
The blowback over the US killing of a top Iranian general mounted Sunday as Iran announced it will no longer abide by the limits contained in the 2015 nuclear deal and Iraq's Parliament called for the expulsion of all American troops from Iraqi soil.
The twin developments could bring Iran closer to building an atomic bomb and enable the Islamic State group to stage a comeback in Iraq, making the Middle East a far more dangerous and unstable place.
Iranian state television cited a statement by President Hassan Rouhani's administration saying the country would not observe the deal's restrictions on fuel enrichment, on the size of its enriched uranium stockpile and on its research and development activities.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran no longer faces any limitations in operations," a state TV broadcaster said.
In Iraq, meanwhile, lawmakers voted in favor of a resolution calling for an end to the foreign military presence in the country, including the estimated 5,200 U.S. troops stationed to help fight Islamic State extremists. The bill is subject to approval by the Iraqi government but has the backing of the outgoing prime minister.
In yet another sign of rising tensions and threats of retaliation over the deadly airstrike, the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq said it is putting the battle against IS on hold to focus on protecting its own troops and bases.
The string of developments capped a day of mass mourning over Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets in the cities of Ahvaz and Mashhad to walk alongside the casket of Soleimani, who was the architect of Iran's proxy wars across the Mideast and was blamed for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in suicide bombings and other attacks.
The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment on Iran's announcement.
As for the troop-withdrawal vote in Iraq, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said the U.S. is awaiting clarification on its legal meaning but was "disappointed" by the move and strongly urged Iraq to reconsider.
"We believe it is in the shared interests of the United States and Iraq to continue fighting ISIS together," Ortagus said.
The leaders of Germany, France and Britain issued a joint statement on Sunday calling on Iran to abide by the terms of the nuclear deal and refrain from conducting or supporting further "violent acts."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson specifically urged Iran to "withdraw all measures" not in line with the 2015 agreement that was intended to stop Tehran from pursuing its atomic weapons program.
Iran insisted that it remains open to negotiations with European partners over its nuclear program. And it did not back off from earlier promises that it wouldn't seek a nuclear weapon.
However, the announcement represents the clearest nuclear proliferation threat yet made by Iran since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. It further raises regional tensions, as Iran's longtime foe Israel has promised never to allow Iran to produce an atomic bomb.
Iran did not elaborate on what levels it would immediately reach in its program. Tehran has already broken some of the deal's limits as part of a step-by-step pressure campaign to get sanctions relief. It has increased its production, begun enriching uranium to 5% and restarted enrichment at an underground facility.
While it does not possess uranium enriched to weapons-grade levels of 90%, any push forward narrows the estimated one-year "breakout time" needed for it to have enough material to build a nuclear weapon if it chose to do so.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations watchdog observing Iran's program, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Iran said that its cooperation with the IAEA "will continue as before."
Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi earlier told journalists that Soleimani's killing would prompt Iranian officials to take a bigger step away from the nuclear deal.
"In the world of politics, all developments are interconnected," Mousavi said.
⌠body too long
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/iran-abandons-nuclear-limits-after-us-killing-1634233-2020-01-06
Trump rules out US troop withdrawal from Iraq, threatens very big sanctions
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose "very big" sanctions on Iraq after its Parliament called on the US military to leave the country for assassinating top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a drone attack in Baghdad.
Press Trust of India
Press Trust of India
Washington
January 6, 2020
UPDATED: January 6, 2020 17:36 IST
US President Donald Trump (File Photo)
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose "very big" sanctions on Iraq after its Parliament called on the US military to leave the country for assassinating top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a drone attack in Baghdad.
The Iraqi Parliament on Sunday voted to expel the US troops from its territory which have been there to help the Iraq dispensation fight the Islamic State terror group.
Some 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the IS terror group.
Iraq's move comes in response to the killing of Maj Gen Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, in a US drone attack on a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US, already hit by serious differences over Tehran's ambitious nuclear programme.
We're not leaving (Iraq) unless they pay us back for it," Trump said while responding to a question on the resolution passed by the Iraqi Parliament.
He was speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling from Mar-a-Lago in Florida to Andrews Joint Base in Maryland as he returned to the White House from his Christmas and New Year vacation.
We have a very extraordinarily expensive airbase that's there. It cost billions of dollars to build. Long before my time We're not leaving unless they pay us back for it, he said.
However, Trump did not name the airbase.
If they do ask us to leave, if we don't do it in a very friendly basis. We will charge them sanctions like they've never seen before ever. It'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame, Trump said issuing a strong warning to Iraq.
Trump also threatened to put "very big" sanctions on Iraq if there is any opposition from the Gulf country.
If there's any hostility, that they do anything we think is inappropriate, we are going to put sanctions on Iraq, very big sanctions on Iraq, he said.
Trump said that the US has spent a lot of money in Iraq.
"I told you, Iraq, was the worst decision, going into the Middle East was the worst decision ever made in the history of our country, and I've said that publicly so I guess I can say that right now going into the Middle East was the worst decision ever made in the history of our country, but we are there and they went into Iraq," he said.
"Iraq, by the way, they didn't knock down the World Trade Center. That's been very nicely proven. But we went in and we're there and we're pulling out, pulling out of a lot of different areas. With Syria, I pulled out because I'm not going to guard his border. Why should I be guarding the border?" he asked.
"They've got troops, let them guard, that border's been under siege, for thousands of years they've been fighting on that border. We call it the safe zone, it's really the opposite of the safe zone, many many people have been killed and by the way many people from Turkey have been killed, it's a double," Trump said.
As the tensions escalated between Iran and the US following the killing of Soleimani, Tehran on Sunday announced its fifth step back from the 2015 landmark nuclear deal, saying it would not observe the nuclear deal's restrictions on fuel enrichment, on the size of its enriched uranium stockpile and on its research and development activities.
In a statement, Tehran, however, said it would continue cooperating "as before" with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors the implementation of the nuclear deal.
President Trump abandoned the Iranian nuclear deal in 2018, saying he wanted to force Iran to negotiate a new deal that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles.
On Saturday night, Trump warned that the US will target 52 sites in Iran some of which are "at a very high level and important to Iran and the Iranian culture" if the Islamic republic attacks American personnel or assets.
⌠body too long
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/us-iran-ties-trump-rules-us-troop-withdrawal-iraq-threatens-very-big-sanctions-1634455-2020-01-06
$80 Million bounty for Trump's head announced on Iran TV. What we know so far
A bounty of $80 million has been placed on Donald Trump's head. An unknown Iranian eulogist placed the bounty on the US President after the killing of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the US forces. At the funeral of the slain general, $1 was collected from everyone present. As per the eulogist, 80 million Iranians contributing $1 each would mean $80 million that the country will be willing to spend to avenge the death of its most celebrated general. The Iranian government has not confirmed nor commented on reports of the bounty.
India TV News Desk India TV News Desk
Tehran Published on: January 06, 2020 14:20 IST
$80 Million bounty for Trump's head announced on Iran TV.
Image Source : AP
$80 Million bounty for Trump's head announced on Iran TV. What we know so far
A bounty of $80 million has been placed on Donald Trump's head. An unknown Iranian eulogist placed the bounty on the US President after the killing of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the US forces. At the funeral of the slain general, $1 was collected from everyone present. As per the eulogist, 80 million Iranians contributing $1 each would mean $80 million that the country will be willing to spend to avenge the death of its most celebrated general. The Iranian government has not confirmed nor commented on reports of the bounty.
Iranian MP, Abolfazl Abutorabi, reportedly threatened to attack the White House in his address to the Iranian parliament on Sunday. Iran had earlier declared that it would no longer abide by the rules of the 'Iran Nuclear Deal' signed during the reign of former President Barack Obama.
The developments could bring Iran closer to building an atomic bomb, set off a proxy or military attack launched by Tehran against America and enable the Islamic State group to stage a comeback in Iraq, making the Middle East a far more dangerous and unstable place.
Adding to the tensions, President Donald Trump threatened to demand billions of dollars in compensation from Iraq or impose âsanctions like theyâve never seen beforeâ if it goes through with expelling U.S. troops.
Iranâs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself prayed over the caskets of Soleimani and others slain in the attack. Khamenei, who had a close relationship with Soleimani, wept at one point during the traditional Muslim prayers for the dead. The crowd wailed.
Soleimaniâs successor, Esmail Ghaani stood near Khameneiâs side, as did Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and other top leaders in the Islamic Republic. While Iran recently faced nationwide protests over government-set gasoline prices that reportedly killed over 300 people, Soleimaniâs mass processionals has seen politicians and leaders across the Islamic Republicâs political spectrum take part, temporarily silencing that anger.
Ghaani made his own threat in an interview with Iranian state television aired Monday. âGod the almighty has promised to get his revenge, and God is the main avenger. Certainly, actions will be taken,â he said.
https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/80-million-bounty-donald-trump-head-announced-iran-what-we-know-so-far-576761
5.7-magnitude quake strikes Puerto Rico, damage reported
AP | Jan 6, 2020, 4:46 IST
1
Representative image
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO: A 5.7-magnitude quake jolted Puerto Ricans out of their beds on Monday morning, the strongest quake yet to hit the US territory that has been shaking for the past week.
The quake struck just south of the island at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometer (over 6 miles), according to the US geological service. There was no tsunami threat, officials said.
Power outages were reported in some parts of Puerto Rico following the quake, Angel Vazquez, the emergency management director for the southern coastal city of Ponce, told The Associated Press.
"This is one of the strongest quakes to date since it started shaking on December 28," he said. "It lasted a long time."
No injuries or structural damage were immediately reported, although some residents reported small landslides that prompted crews to temporarily close roads along parts of Puerto Rico's south coast.
Sindia Alvarado, who lives in the southern coastal town of Penuelas, said she was petrified.
"My entire family woke up screaming," she said. "I thought the house was going to crack in half."
The flurry of quakes in Puerto Rico's southern region began the night of December 28, with quakes ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 5.1. Previous quakes of lesser magnitudes in recent days have cracked homes and led to goods falling off supermarket shelves.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/5-7-magnitude-quake-strikes-puerto-rico-damage-reported/articleshow/73123823.cms
China promises ârelentless effortsâ to save Iran nuclear deal after US drone strike on Qassem Soleimani
Foreign ministry says Tehran has âshown restraintâ even though it pulled out of international accord to restrict uranium enhancement after killing of senior commander
Beijing urges all parties to stay calm and seek political and diplomatic solutions after Donald Trump authorised Fridayâs attack
Wendy Wu
Wendy Wu in Beijing
Published: 8:18pm, 6 Jan, 2020
Updated: 8:17pm, 6 Jan, 2020
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Iranian mourners carry a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike on Friday. Photo: AFPIranian mourners carry a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike on Friday. Photo: AFP
Iranian mourners carry a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike on Friday. Photo: AFP
China said it will âtake relentless effortsâ to salvage the Iranian nuclear accord and reduce tensions in the Middle East after the killing of Qassem Soleimani in a US drone attack.
Tehran announced early on Monday that it would no longer abide by the uranium enrichment restrictions it agreed in 2015.
Iranian state media reported that the countryâs nuclear programme will now be based solely on its âtechnical needsâ, but it also said that the country would continue to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and it could return to the deal if sanctions are lifted and its interests are respected.
Geng Shuang, a spokesman for Chinaâs foreign ministry, told a daily press conference on Monday that Iran had been forced to end its commitment due to external factors but had showed restraint and a willingness to implement the deal so it âdoes not violate its [non-proliferation] obligationsâ.
The deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, is âan important pillarâ for global nuclear non-proliferation and peace and stability for the Middle East, Geng said.
He also called for all sides in the deal to remain calm and to âstick to political and diplomatic solutionsâ to avoid further escalation.
âThe global community should bear in mind the general and long-term picture, firmly maintain the deal and push for the de-escalation of the Iran nuclear and Middle East situation,â Geng said.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3044886/china-promises-relentless-efforts-save-iran-nuclear-deal-after
Trumpâs strike on Soleimani: Japanâs Shinzo Abe embarrassed, North Koreaâs Kim Jong-un laughing: analysts
Assassination ends Tokyoâs efforts to mediate between Iran and US, but it canât afford to cancel scheduled warship deployment, experts say
Meanwhile, North Korea has a chance to test how much trouble Trump can handle at one time
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Published: 2:59pm, 6 Jan, 2020
Updated: 3:02pm, 6 Jan, 2020
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The assassination of Soleimani has cast a shadow over Japanâs deployment of a warship to the Middle East. Photo: AP PhotoThe assassination of Soleimani has cast a shadow over Japanâs deployment of a warship to the Middle East. Photo: AP Photo
The assassination of Soleimani has cast a shadow over Japanâs deployment of a warship to the Middle East. Photo: AP Photo
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
has been âhumiliatedâ by the assassination of one of Iranâs top military leaders â effectively ending Tokyoâs efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington â but has little choice but to go ahead with the scheduled deployment of warships and reconnaissance aircraft to the Middle East
, according to analysts.
Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport on January 3, with US President Donald Trump
subsequently warning the leadership in Tehran that he was ready to attack 52 sites in Iran
in the event of any retaliatory action
.
The sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East came exactly one week after the Japanese government approved the dispatch of a Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) destroyer to the Middle East in February. The warship will be joined by a number of long-range patrol aircraft the following month.
The units will conduct operations in the Gulf of Oman, the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden and will be tasked with ensuring the security of civilian Japanese ships and personnel. The Japanese warship will not operate in the Straits of Hormuz, considered a potential flashpoint and where several tankers have been attacked in recent months.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will have lost face as a result of US President Donald Trumpâs decision to take out the Iranian military leader, analysts say. Photo: Kyodo
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will have lost face as a result of US President Donald Trumpâs decision to take out the Iranian military leader, analysts say. Photo: Kyodo
The Japanese government has been under pressure from Washington to commit units to the US-led coalition in the region but has purposefully limited its involvement to safeguarding sea lanes. Given the killing of Soleimani, Tokyo will hope to be able to remain at armsâ length, analysts believe.
⌠body too long
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3044817/trumps-strike-soleimani-japans-shinzo-abe-embarrassed-north
Another six in HK hospitals over Wuhan virus fears
2020-01-06 HKT 18:03
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Two of the new patients are being treated in isolation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. File photo: RTHK
Two of the new patients are being treated in isolation at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. File photo: RTHK
Health officials say another six people have been placed in isolation in the SAR's hospitals over fears they have caught an unidentified viral pneumonia that has broken out in the mainland city of Wuhan.
The latest patients range in age from just two-years-old, to 65.
The three males and three females were all said to be in a stable condition in various public hospitals after being admitted with fever, respiratory infection or pneumonia symptoms.
"The Hospital Authority will keep monitoring the patients' conditions and provide appropriate treatment," said the Hospital Authority's Chief Infection Control Officer, Dr Raymond Lai.
A statement said all six patients had recently been in Wuhan, but none were believed to have visited a seafood market linked to the outbreak.
The new suspected cases bring the total number of people put into isolation in Hong Kong after falling sick following trips to Wuhan to 21 since New Year's Eve.
Of these, seven have already been discharged from hospital.
Officials have yet to say whether they believe any of the patients actually have the same strain of virus as the patients on the mainland.
The authorities in Wuhan said on Sunday that 59 people there had come down with the illness, with seven of them severely ill.
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1501315-20200106.htm
UK, Germany, France call out Soleimani role in attacks
ANI
06 Jan 2020, 20:03 GMT+10
Berlin [Germany], Jan 6 (ANI): Extending support to the United States over the killing of Iran's senior military commander Qassem Soleimani, the United Kingdom, Germany and France have condemned the attacks against US-led coalition in Iraq and expressed concern by "negative role" played by Tehran in the region.
On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson held separate telephonic conversations with each other to discuss escalated tensions in the middle east.
"We condemned the recent strikes on the coalition forces in Iraq and are deeply concerned by the negative role that was played by Iran in the region, especially through the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Quds Force under the command of General Soleimani," the joint statement, issued by the German cabinet late on Sunday, read.
Soleimani, a US-designated terrorist, was killed along with six others after the US carried out a strike near the Baghdad's international airport on Friday.
Soelimani's killing has infuriated Iran. He was considered as a second-most powerful man in the country. Iran leadership has vowed to take equally "harsh revenge" from the United States. The three leaders have also called for a deescalation of tensions in the region.
Many countries around the world including Syria, China and Russia have condemned the United States' action. While countries like India have urged both parties to deescalate.
Amid relationship deteriorating with the United States, Tehran on Sunday announced that it was abandoning its last obligation under the 2015 nuclear deal which is to limit the number to centrifuges.
Merkel, Macron and Johnson called on Iran to refrain from withdrawing from the deal.
"We especially call on Iran to refrain from further violent actions and supporting such activities. We also urge Iran to refrain from actions that do not comply with the nuclear deal," the statement read. (ANI)
https://www.shanghainews.net/news/263628590/uk-germany-france-call-out-soleimani-role-in-attacks
DOH on high alert over reports of'mysterious' disease
Philippine Information Agency
06 Jan 2020, 18:38 GMT+10
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Jan. 6 (PIA) - The Department of Health (DOH) has ordered a strict screening of incoming travelers at all airports and seaports following the reports of mysterious disease in China.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque, in a statement said the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) is on high alert status and closely watching all ports for travelers coming to the country, especially those showing signs of fever or respiratory infection.
The country has tightened the screenings through Bureau of Quarantine making sure that all ports of entry have quarantine officers.
Based on reports, an outbreak of a mysterious illness affected 44 individuals in China. The disease is similar to a "viral pneumonia of unknown but of origin".
"I urge the public, especially those with history of travel from China, to seek immediate medical consult if experiencing any flu-like symptoms," Duque said.
Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said there's no travel advisory for China yet despite reported cases of mysterious disease in Wuhan province but DOH is coordinating with WHO and implementing International Health Regulations.
"Of the 44 cases in Wuhan, 11 have severe pneumonia. All being treated now in isolation. Wala namang namatay dito sa sakit na ito. Pero negative siya for SARS, for the flu virus, for avian flu o bird flu. We still do not know what the virus is," Domingo said.
Domingo said, patients' symptoms include fever, upper respiratory tract infection like cough and colds, and pneumonia.
For protection, Domingo advised the public to wear masks, especially if sick, avoid crowded places and frequently wash hands with soap and water. (PIA-NCR)
https://www.shanghainews.net/news/263628178/doh-on-high-alert-over-reports-ofmysterious-disease
Saudi Arabia appeals for calm after Soleimani killing
Prince Faisal bin Farhan reminded âactors (to) take all the steps necessary to prevent any further escalation and any provocation.â (AFP)
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Reuters
January 06, 2020 12:20
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âWe are very keen that the situation in the region doesnât escalate any furtherâ
âWe have to be conscious of the risks and dangers not just to the region but to wider global securityâ
RIYADH: Saudi Arabiaâs foreign minister said on Monday the kingdom does not want to see further escalation of tensions in the region at a âvery dangerous moment,â following Fridayâs killing by a US drone of Iranâs most prominent military commander.
âWe are very keen that the situation in the region doesnât escalate any further. Itâs certainly a very dangerous moment and we have to be conscious of the risks and dangers not just to the region but to wider global security,â Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud told a news briefing in Riyadh.
âWe hope that all actors take all the steps necessary to prevent any further escalation and any provocation,â he said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1609081/saudi-arabia
Pelosi says House to vote on limiting Trumpâs military actions in Iran
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has been at loggerheads with President Donald J. Trump, and has led the impeachment against him. (AFP)
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Updated 14 sec ago
Agencies
January 06, 2020 05:17
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Germany says ânot very helpfulâ to threaten Iraq with sanctions
NATO ambassadors to hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels on Monday
BERLIN/BRUSSELS: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will introduce and vote on a war powers resolution this week to limit US President Donald Trumpâs military actions regarding Iran.
âIt reasserts Congressâs long-established oversight responsibilities by mandating that if no further Congressional action is taken, the Administrationâs military hostilities with regard to Iran cease within 30 days,â Pelosi said.
In Germany, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said US threats of sanctions against Iraq were not helpful and the the country should be convinced by arguments and not threats.
Officials from Germany, UK, and France will meet on Monday to discuss Iranâs latest announcements on the 2015 nuclear deal and will issue a statement afterwards, Maas said.
He added that Iranâs decision to roll back commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal âcould be first step to end of this agreement.â
âWe will definitely talk to Iran again. What has been announced is, however, not consistent with the agreement,â Maas told Deutschlandfunk radio.
â(The situation) has not got easier, and this could be the first step to the end of this agreement, which would be a big loss so we will weigh this up very, very responsibly now.â
NATO ambassadors will hold an extraordinary meeting at their Brussels headquarters on Monday as Middle East tensions mounted after US forces killed a top Iranian general.
âThe North Atlantic Council will address the situation in the region,â a NATO official said.
âThe secretary general decided to convene the meeting of NATO ambassadors following consultations with allies.â
The EUâs diplomatic chief Josep Borrell voiced regret at Tehranâs latest decision to reduce its commitments to the beleaguered 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
âDeeply regret Iranâs latest announcement on #JCPOA. As ever we will rely on @iaeaorg verification,â Borrell tweeted, using an abbreviation for the dealâs formal name.
âFull implementation of #NuclearDeal by all is now more important than ever, for regional stability & global security. I will continue working with all participants on way forward.â
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1608896/world
Hezbollahâs unsettling presence in South America
Supporters attend the funeral of Qassem Soleimani and the Iraqi Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis in Baghdad. (AFP)
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Updated 15 sec ago
Salma Mohamed
January 06, 2020 00:03
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South America provides Hezbollah a close-enough vantage to plot revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani
Hezbollah has been linked to criminal activities including drug trafficking and money laundering
LONDON: With the elimination on Jan. 3 of Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian general who oversaw the Islamic Republicâs web of regional proxy armies, attention is bound to turn sooner or later to Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group whose cloak-and-dagger operations have been detected in places as far apart as South America and Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Entrenched deeply over the years in South America, Hezbollah is arguably the only Shiite militia belonging to the Soleimani network that has the twin advantages of ability and proximity to consider retaliating against the Trump administration for the targeted killing of the Quds Force commander with a direct attack on the US.
As recently as September, authorities in New York apprehended Alexei Saab, aka Ali Hassan Saab, an alleged Hezbollah operative who âconducted surveillance of possible target locations in order to help the foreign terrorist organization prepare for potential future attacks against the United States.â
Unlike China and Russia, the US is an avowed enemy of Hezbollah, having long designated the entire group, including its political wing, as a foreign terrorist organization.
In recent months, the State Department and Washingtonâs intelligence community have concluded that there is enough evidence to support claims linking Hezbollah to criminal activities, including drug trafficking, in South America and Europe.
Much has been written about Hezbollahâs presence in the âtriple frontierâ area along the Paraguay-Argentina-Brazil border in South America. Since the Al-Qaeda attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have warned of potential terrorist cells forming in this under-policed corner of the continent.
Hezbollah has been able to find a footing in the tri-border area by piggybacking on the Lebanese diaspora presence. The ancestors of South Americans of Lebanese descent began arriving in the area before 1930 and were mostly Christian.
The fact that, today, more than 5 million Lebanese migrants and their descendants live in just two countries (Brazil and Argentina) has proved a distinct advantage for Hezbollah, which tries to cultivate intelligence assets from across the religious spectrum.
Hezbollah has developed local contacts to facilitate as well as conceal its drug-trafficking, money-laundering and terrorist-financing operations. Since 2009, a number of Lebanese nationals have been sanctioned by the US Treasury for their connection to organized crime, involving drug trafficking and money laundering in particular.
Just last month, the US Department of Justice sentenced Lebanon-born Ali Kourani, a naturalized US citizen, to 40 years in prison for his âillicit workâ as an operative for âthe Islamic Jihad Organization,â the âexternal attack-planning componentâ of Hezbollah.
Maximilian Brenner, of the Berlin-based Security Institute, sees a mixed picture emerging from recent developments. âIn the US, significant progress has been made in terms of harnessing crime-fighting ops to curb Hezbollah,â Brenner said.
âHowever, the international community is divided on the issue, with diverging interests preventing organized action to tackle Hezbollah also in the criminal â not solely in the international terrorism â context.â
Jonathan Cardozo, of the Paris-based Media Research Inc., says there is obvious overlap between terrorism and illicit drug trade, but the motives are not necessarily the same.
âAmericans will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to combine the war against terrorism with the war against the drug trade, especially considering the differences in agency infrastructure, personnel and local assets,â he said.
âSlow-moving bureaucracies are not equipped to fight guerrilla-style tactics of lawless â and ruthless â criminal and terrorist outfits. While terrorists and criminals certainly collaborate in many instances, it is incredibly difficult to pinpoint any grand strategy at play in Latin America between the two elements.â
⌠body too long
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Merkel, Putin to meet in Moscow amid growing Middle East tensions
Merkel, Putin to meet in Moscow amid growing Middle East tensions
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday to discuss âcurrent international questions.â (AFP)
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AP
January 06, 2020 10:46
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German chancellor will discuss âcurrent international questionsâ with Vladimir Putin
Germany and Russia are among the world powers trying to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran
BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Moscow on Saturday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin amid growing tensions in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Merkelâs spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said Monday that the chancellor will discuss âcurrent international questionsâ with Putin. Those will include Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Ukraine and bilateral issues.
Seibert said that âRussia is an important player on the world stage and as a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council itâs indispensable when it comes to solving conflicts in the world.â Germany is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council.
Germany and Russia are among the world powers that have been trying to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran after the US withdrew from the agreement unilaterally in 2018.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will accompany Merkel to Moscow, Seibert said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1609071/world
World
5 Jan, 18:27
Merkel, Macron and Johnson urge Iran to abandon moves violating nuclear deal
Merkel, Macron and Johnson also urged the Iraqi authorities to ensure support for the US-led anti-terrorist coalition
German Chancellor Angela Merkel AP Photo/Markus Schreiber
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Š AP Photo/Markus Schreiber
BERLIN, January 6. /TASS/. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed concern in a joint statement over a "negative" role that Iran plays in the Middle East, urging it to refrain from the moves going against the nuclear deal.
German governmentâs Spokesperson Steffen Seibert uploaded the statement to his Twitter account on Sunday. The three leaders emphasized the importance of taking measures to deescalate the situation in the region and urged all parties, specifically Iran, to exercise restraint and responsibility. "We specifically call on Iran to refrain from further violent action or proliferation, and urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal)".
"We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped," the joint statement, released late on Sunday night, said. The three leaders pledged that they would continue efforts to reduce tensions in the region and stabilize the situation.
Merkel, Macron and Johnson also urged the Iraqi authorities to ensure support for the US-led anti-terrorist coalition. "We also reaffirm our commitment to continue the fight against Daesh (Islamic State), which remains a high priority. The preservation of the Coalition is key in this regard. We therefore urge the Iraqi authorities to continue providing the Coalition all the necessary support," it said.
On Sunday, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution calling for the government to end the presence of foreign troops in the country in the wake of the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guardsâ Quds Force, in the country.
On January 2, General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy leader of Iraqi Shiite paramilitary force Hashd al-Shaabi, were killed in Baghdad in a US strike.
https://tass.com/world/1105833
Iran
Published 23 hours ago
Iranian MP threatens to 'attack the White House': report
By Ronn Blitzer | Fox News
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Iranian militia proxies pose threat in wake of Soleimani killing
Reaction from Fox News foreign affairs analyst Walid Phares.
Iranian MP Abolfazl Abutorabi has reportedly threatened to attack the White House in response to a message from President Trump that promised severe consequences if the Islamic nation escalates hostilities with the U.S.
Abutorabi was responding to a question about how Iran should react to the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani during an American airstrike, The Independent reported.
TRUMP WARNS IRAN: US HAS TARGETED â52 IRANIAN SITESâ AND WILL âHIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARDâ IF NEEDED
"We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil. We have the power, and God willing we will respond in an appropriate time," Abutorabi said according to the UK publication, which cited Iranian news agency ILNA.
This comes as President Trump vowed to hit Iran hard should the country retaliate against the U.S. for Soleimani's death.
"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, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters," Trump tweeted over the weekend.
The president continued: "He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years."
Abutorabi called Soleimani's death "a declaration of war," and that a swift, strong response was necessary.
Has justice been served for Iranian general Qassem Soleimani?Video
"When someone declares war, do you want to respond to the bullets with flowers? They will shoot you in the head," he said.
Following Soleimani's death, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said "harsh retaliation is waiting for the criminals whose filthy hands spilled his blood." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also promised to "take revenge for this heinous crime."
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday that Soleimani's death puts the entire region at the beginning of a âcompletely new phase.â
Speaking before thousands of supports at a rally in southern Beirut, Nasrallah called the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani a âclear, blatant crimeâ that will transform the Middle East.
The Independent's international correspondent, Borzou Daragahi, doubted the likelihood of an attack on U.S. soil, noting that Abutorabi was known for inflammatory language and that Iran does not necessarily have the military capabilities of striking the U.S. with missiles.
Over the weekend, President Trump issued a severe threat of his own, claiming that he has "52 Iranian sites" in mind as potential targets should Iran take any further action.
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After the strike that killed Soleimani, the U.S.-led coalition forces in the region announced that they have put their training of Iraqi forces on hold for the time being, while remaining committed to working with the Iraqi people and government in combating ISIS.
"Repeated rocket attacks over the last two months by elements of Kata'ib Hezbollah have caused the death of Iraqi Security Forces personnel and a U.S. civilian. As a result we are now fully committed to protecting the Iraqi bases that host Coalition troops," the statement said. "This has limited our capacity to conduct training with partners and to support their operations against Daesh and we have therefore paused these activities, subject to continuous review."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/iranian-mp-threatens-to-attack-the-white-house-report
Guess What PDJT will target First
World News
January 5, 2020 / 11:21 AM / Updated an hour ago
Iran says no limits on enrichment, stepping further from 2015 deal: TV
Parisa Hafezi
4 Min Read
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran announced on Sunday it would abandon limitations on enriching uranium, taking a further step back from commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, but it would continue to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
Iran had been expected to announce its latest stance on the deal this weekend. But its announcement coincided with a major escalation of hostilities with Washington following the U.S. killing of top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike on Friday in Baghdad.
State television said Iran would not respect any limits set down in the pact on the countryâs nuclear work: whether the limit on its number of uranium enrichment centrifuges to its enrichment capacity, the level to which uranium could be enriched, the amount of stockpiled enriched uranium or Iranâs nuclear Research and Development activities.
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âIran will continue its nuclear enrichment with no restrictions âŚ. and based on its technical needs,â a government statement cited by television said.
Iran has steadily overstepped the dealâs limits on its nuclear activities in response to the United Statesâ withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and Washingtonâs reimposition of sanctions that have crippled Iranâs oil trade.
Under the nuclear deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of most international sanctions.
Relations between Tehran and Washington sharply deteriorated after President Donald Trumpâs withdrawal of the United States from the deal. Iran has criticized European powers for failing to salvage the pact by shielding its economy from U.S. sanctions.
Sundayâs statement said Tehran can quickly reverse its steps if U.S. sanctions are removed.
âThis step is within JCPOA (deal) & all 5 steps are reversible upon EFFECTIVE implementation of reciprocal obligations,â tweeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif referencing the acronym that stands for the dealâs official name, âThe Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.â
A European Diplomat, who declined to be named, said the âdeal is all but dead,â but said that Europe would do everything possible to slow proliferation and âtry and save what can be saved.â
Mark Fitzpatrick, associate fellow and nuclear non-proliferation expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Iranâs latest step left room for diplomacy.
âThey are not saying how far they will push the enrichment or the number of centrifuges theyâll operate,â Fitzpatrick told Reuters. âI think they have reserved a lot of room for negotiation and for taking further steps if they need to.â
âMAXIMUM PRESSUREâ
Washington says the âmaximum pressureâ campaign it started after withdrawing from the nuclear agreement will force Iran to negotiate a more sweeping deal, covering its ballistic missile program and its role in Middle Eastern conflicts. Iran says it will not negotiate a new deal.
FILE PHOTO: The Iranian flag flutters in front the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Austria July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
Tehran has rejected Western assertions that it has sought to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran has already breached many of the dealâs restrictions on its nuclear activities, including on the purity to which it enriches uranium, its stock of enriched uranium, which models of centrifuge it enriches uranium with and where it enriches uranium.
It has, however, not gone far over the purity allowed â the deal sets a limit of 3.67% and Iran has stayed around 4.5% in recent months, well below the 20% it reached before the deal and the roughly 90% that is weapons-grade.
The deal as a whole was designed to increase the time Iran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb if it wanted one â the main obstacle to producing a nuclear weapon â from around two or three months.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-deal/iran-steps-further-back-from-nuclear-deal-says-no-limits-on-enrichment-tv-idUSKBN1Z40Q3?il=0
Ghost bake?
You'd be surprised. I'll spend a whole evening making meme after meme and not a peep from anyone. You start to feel your work sucks - has no impact. Then the next day I see MY memes being posted.
Vindication ensues
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