Iranian MPs chant ‘death to America’ in fist-clenched fury over US drone death of Soleimani – while politicians in Iraq vote to oust thousands of US troops
- MPs opened Parliament on Sunday with lawmakers chanting: ‘death to America’
- Parliament speaker Ali Larijani implored Mr Trump to listen to what they said
- It occurred as tens of thousands of mourners accompanied Soleimani’s casket
Iranian MPs opened Parliament on Sunday with lawmakers chanting in unison: ‘death to America’ as politicians in Iraq urged the government to oust thousands of US troops.
Parliament speaker Ali Larijani compared Soleimani’s killing to the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented the shah’s power and to the U.S. Navy’s shootdown of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 that killed 290 people.
He also described American officials as following ‘the law of the jungle.’
‘Mr. Trump! This is the voice of Iranian nation. Listen!’ Larijani said as lawmakers chanted.
Iranian MPs chanting ‘death to America’ while raising their clenched fists during a meeting in the capital Tehran
Meanwhile, Iraq’s parliament on Sunday urged the government to oust thousands of American troops from the country, stepping up pressure over the US killing of a top Iranian general in Baghdad.
Iraq’s foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador, while caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi attended an extraordinary parliamentary session to slam the strike as a ‘political assassination.’
He joined 168 lawmakers — just enough for quorum in Iraq’s 329-seat parliament — to discuss the ousting of US troops.
“The parliament has voted to commit the Iraqi government to cancel its request to the international coalition for help to fight IS,” speaker Mohammed Halbusi announced.
The cabinet would have to approve any decision but the premier had earlier indicated support for an ouster.
Iraq’s parliament will meet on Sunday, with many lawmakers pushing for a vote demanding that US troops leave the country
“We face two main choices,” he told MPs: either immediately voting for foreign troops to leave or revisiting their mandate through a parliamentary process.
It occurred as tens of thousands of mourners accompanied a casket carrying the remains of the slain Soleimani through two major Iranian cities Sunday as part of a grand funeral procession for the commander killed by an American drone strike.
A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, likewise threatened the U.S. by saying Iran and the ‘resistance front will decide the time, place and way’ revenge will be carried out.
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb 52 sites in Iran if it retaliates by attacking Americans.
The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia separately warned Americans ‘of the heightened risk of missile and drone attacks.’
Meanwhile, Iran vowed to take an even-greater step away from its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers as a response to Soleimani’s slaying.
The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said Sunday that America’s military in the Middle East region- including U.S. bases, warships and soldiers – are fair targets following the U.S. killing of Iran’s top general.
Hassan Nasrallah said evicting U.S. military forces from the region is now a priority.
‘The suicide attackers who forced the Americans to leave from our region in the past are still here and their numbers have increased,’ Nasrallah said in a televised speech.
The U.S. drone strike killing Soleimani in Iraq Friday escalated the crisis between Tehran and Washington after months of trading attacks and threats that put the wider Middle East on edge.
Iran has promised ‘harsh revenge’ for the U.S. attack, which shocked Iranians across all political lines. Many saw Soleimani as a pillar of the Islamic Republic at a moment when it is beset by U.S. sanctions and recent anti-government protests.