Machibet777 LoginForeign Secretary Dominic Raab warns US that sparking war with Iran will make terrorism WORSE | The Sun - Machibet Casino

DOMINIC Raab today defended America's decision to kill Iranian military chief General Qasem Soleimani and warned that a war will only make terrorism WORSE.

The Foreign Secretary called for calm in the region after a series of frantic phone-calls with Iraq, the US and other European allies in the wake of the crisis.

Dominic Raab warned today a war would only help terroristsCredit: Reuters

General Qasem Soleimani was the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' elite Quds Force

The aftermath of the US drone strike that killer General Soleimani in BaghdadCredit: Reuters

But he said he was "sympathetic" with President Trump ordering a drone attack on him in Baghdad on Friday, and described him as a "regional menace".

Speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday show this morning, he said: "We understand their position.

"They have a right to exercise self-defence.

"He was not some innocent victim."

The Foreign Secretary said he was working to try and stabilise tensions in the Middle East, and stressed that a "war is in no one's interest".

"The only people who would gain would be Da'esh", he said.

"No one wants, I don't think anyone benefit from a war in the Middle East."

IRAN CRISIS LATEST

Yesterday Iran pinpointed 35 "key US targets" for attack after the assassination of its top general
But President Trump warned he would unleash his new two trillion dollar arsenal on 52 targets "very hard and very fast" if revenge is sought on the US
Rockets were fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and at an airbase housing American troops
Mourners chanted "death to America" at the funeral of Qasem Soleimani
Thousands of Brit holidaymakers in Turkey and Dubai were warned to be "vigilant" by the Foreign Office, who updated their advice for travel across the Middle East
SAS troops were last night being sent to the Middle East to rescue stranded Brits if needed
Boris Johnson is expected back in the UK later today - and has been in "constant" contact with the Foreign Secretary over the crisis

Mr Raab stressed there was a "route to allow Iran to come in from the international cold - that opportunity is there for them if they do the right things. De-escalate and... engage in proper, meaningful diplomacy."

Despite President Trump failing to tell Boris Johnson of the impending airstrike, the Foreign Secretary said Britain was still "very close" with the Americans about the crisis.

He will be meeting with US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo next week on a planned trip to Washington.

Yesterday he said some European allies had been "not as helpful" as they could have been over the situation.

But Mr Raab insisted "we are on the same page with our American partners."

He defended the PM's decision to continue his New Year holiday in Mustique, which he expected to return from later today.

LURCH TOWARDS WAR

"The PM is in charge," Mr Raab said earlier.

"We have been in constant contact over the break. He will be back in play tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Labour's Emily Thornberry insisted the Iranian general had "blood on his hands" and she would not be shedding any tears over him.

However, his death was "not making the world any safer".

She told Sky: "We are taking a major lurch towards war.

"Our interests, our people, our forces, are at threat.

"There will be more attacks on tankers. They are clearly vulnerable.

"We have civilians out there.

"And [Donald Trump] didn't even tell us before this man was killed.

"We should be saying quite clearly, we will not be involved in this.

"This is the wrong thing to do. Do not drag us into a war."

Boris blasted for staying on holiday during crisis

BORIS Johnson flew back from his Caribbean holiday today straight into a political storm over why he refused to cut his break short to take charge of the Iran crisis.

As the Foreign Secretary coordinated the response to the killing of a top general with frantic phonecalls with his counterparts around the world, the PM was attacked by rivals for not coming back home earlier.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry accused the PM of sipping cocktails as the world teetered on the brink of a devastating war.

She blasted: "We should take responsibility, we are international players, of course, we have other preoccupations, and clearly the Prime Minister has a lot of preoccupations - he's sunning himself drinking vodka martinis somewhere else and not paying attention to this."

But No10 sources furiously hit back at the claims, insisting the PM has been at the centre of intense diplomacy behind the scenes.

RETALIATION ATTACK

Senior US advisers fear a retaliation attack from Iran could be seen "within weeks" either at home or abroad.

And Trump has now issued a furious warning against Iran and vowed to attack 52 targets if it takes revenge for the airstrike on Soleimani.

He tweeted: "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 and badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters.

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

"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 and important to Iran and the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, will be hit very fast and very hard. The USA wants no more threats."

He later added: "The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World!

"If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way...and without hesitation!"