Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran denied a “cover-up” Monday after taking days to reveal an airliner was accidentally shot down last week, a disaster that sparked demonstrations and calls for a fully transparent investigation. The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was shot down by a missile shortly after taking off …
Read More »Iran denies missile downed Ukrainian plane
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iran’s civil aviation chief denied Friday that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which crashed killing all 176 on board, dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran’s air defences. The declaration came as Tehran faced mounting international pressure to allow a “credible” investigation into the …
Read More »Unswayed by Iran briefings, Democrats seek to check Trump war power
Washington, United States | AFP | US Democratic lawmakers pressed ahead Wednesday with plans to check President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran, despite Congress breathing a collective sigh of relief at the de-escalation of conflict with the Islamic republic. Republicans and Democrats alike expressed broad support for …
Read More »Iran’s anti-US strikes: measured, but not final response
Paris, France | AFP | Iran’s missile strikes on US troop bases in Iraq were a measured first response to Washington’s assassination of a top commander, but are unlikely to be the last act in what could be a long and asymmetrical revenge campaign, experts say. With an outpouring of emotion …
Read More »Trump’s Iraq sanctions threat ‘not very helpful’: Germany
Berlin, Germany | AFP | US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap sanctions on Iraq should Baghdad expel US troops based there “is not very helpful”, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday. “I don’t think you can convince Iraq with threats, but with arguments,” Maas told Deutschlandfunk radio, warning that …
Read More »Killing Soleimani: Trump acted where other US leaders saw big risks
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump did Friday what previous presidents did not dare to do — eliminate a top Iranian general who aggressively expanded Tehran’s power while obstructing US efforts across the Middle East. Trump’s predecessors thought killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary …
Read More »Oil surges after US kills top Iranian general, fuels war fears
London, United Kingdom | AFP | World oil prices soared more than four percent on Friday after the US killed a top Iranian general, fanning fresh fears of a conflict in the crude-rich Middle East, with Tehran warning of retaliation. The head of Iran’s Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was hit in …
Read More »Trump expects Iraq to ‘use its forces’ to protect US embassy in Baghdad
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump said Tuesday he expects Iraq to “use its forces” to protect the US embassy in Baghdad after pro-Iran protesters breached the outer wall of the compound. “We expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!” Trump tweeted. …
Read More »Trump thanks Iran as American freed in prisoner swap
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump had rare positive words for Iran on Saturday, thanking the US foe for a “very fair” negotiation to successfully pull off a prisoner swap that saw an American released from Iranian detention amid soaring tensions. The exchange, which took place in neutral …
Read More »Show ‘evidence’ Iran attacked Saudi oil facility: Rouhani
New York, United States | AFP | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani challenged the US and others Thursday to provide evidence to back up their accusations that Tehran carried out this month’s attack on a Saudi oil facility. “Those who make the allegations must provide the needed proof. What is your evidence?” …
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