Iranian foreign minister warned of 'resolute response' hours before Iran fired ballistic missiles at US forces - Washington Examiner

Iran's foreign affairs minister warned that his country would exact retribution for the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani hours before missiles were fired at U.S. bases in Iraq.

Javad Zarif told attendees at the Tehran Dialogue Forum that the United States "will receive the definitive, resolute response to its brazen, criminal act in a place and at a time it hurts most," according to the state-funded Iranian Students News Agency.

Zarif's threat came hours before the Pentagon confirmed Iranian missiles struck two bases holding U.S. forces on Tuesday evening and four days after the U.S. killed Soleimani in an airstrike outside Baghdad International Airport in Iraq on Friday. Several Iranian officials made similar threats following Soleimani's death, saying their country would strike back at a time of their choosing.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned against any Iranian retaliation during a Tuesday morning press briefing, telling reporters that if Iran made another "bad choice," President Trump would respond "in a decisive, serious manner."

Pompeo also dismissed Zarif's claims that Soleimani was in Baghdad on a diplomatic mission at the time of his death.

"Zarif is a propagandist of the first order," Pompeo said, adding that the foreign minister's claim is "fundamentally false" and a piece of "Iranian propaganda."

Trump warned Iran on Sunday against further escalation following Soleimani's death.

"If they do anything, there will be major retaliation," he said.

Trump tweeted that Iranian cultural sites could be potential targets for military action but walked back those comments on Tuesday, noting the U.S. is bound by law not to do so.

"And you know what? If that's what the law is, I like to obey the law," he said.

2020-01-08 01:31:00Z
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMisAFodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9uZXhhbWluZXIuY29tL3BvbGljeS9kZWZlbnNlLW5hdGlvbmFsLXNlY3VyaXR5L2lyYW5pYW4tZm9yZWlnbi1taW5pc3Rlci13YXJuZWQtb2YtcmVzb2x1dGUtcmVzcG9uc2UtaG91cnMtYmVmb3JlLWlyYW4tZmlyZWQtYmFsbGlzdGljLW1pc3NpbGVzLWF0LXVzLWZvcmNlc9IBAA?oc=5