At UN, US justifies killing Soleimani
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) — The United States told the United Nations on Wednesday that the killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani was self-defense and vowed to take additional action “as necessary” in the Middle East to protect US personnel and interests.
In a letter to the UN Security Council, US Ambassador Kelly Craft said the United States also stands “ready to engage without preconditions in serious negotiations with Iran, with the goal of preventing further endangerment of international peace and security or escalation by the Iranian regime.”
The killing of Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday was justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, wrote Craft in the letter seen by Reuters, adding “the United States is prepared to take additional actions in the region as necessary to continue to protect US personnel and interests.”
Under Article 51, countries are required to “immediately report” to the 15-member Security Council any measures taken in exercising the right of self-defense. The United States used Article 51 to justify taking action in Syria against Islamic State militants in 2014.
The new head of Iran’s Quds Force said he would continue the course pursued by his predecessor, Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike last week.
“We will continue in this luminous path with power,” Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani said, noting that Iranian missile strikes carried out on US targets at a base in Iraq on Wednesday would eventually drive America out of the region.
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday the House would vote on a resolution intended to limit US President Donald Trump’s military actions regarding Iran, stating that concerns about the administration’s strategy and decisions were not addressed in a briefing with lawmakers.
Pelosi said on Monday the House would vote on a war powers resolution, but did not provide many details on its timing then.
The resolution will likely sail through the House of Representatives, where the Democrats hold the majority, but its passage in the Senate, controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, is less assured.
“Today, to honor our duty to keep the American people safe, the House will move forward with a War Powers Resolution to limit the President’s military actions regarding Iran,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“This resolution, which will be led by Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, will go to the Rules Committee this evening and will be brought to the Floor tomorrow,” she added.
Trump said in remarks earlier on Wednesday that the United States did not necessarily need to respond militarily to Iranian missile attacks on military bases in Iraq that host US troops.
The comments stood in contrast to his fiery rhetoric in previous days. On Saturday, he threatened to destroy Iranian cultural sites, before backtracking and saying he would obey international law on the issue.
The overnight strikes in Iraq were in retaliation for the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani last week.