World leaders largely condemn the deadly US drone strike on Iranian general as a 'dangerous escalation' while the UN calls the move 'likely unlawful'
- A host of world leaders, including several in Europe, Russia, and Turkey condemned the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassim Soleimani, the powerful leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
- Iranian leaders promised a "forceful revenge" against the US and Iraqi leaders said the strike violated its sovereignty and international laws.
- The United Nations condemned the attack, arguing that it "most likely" violated international law in part because the US hadn't faced an "imminent threat" and the strike killed at least six other people.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long treated Iran as an existential threat to Israel, praised President Donald Trump's move.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
A host of world leaders, including several in Europe, Russia, and Turkey condemned the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassim Soleimani, the leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, as he left Baghdad International Airport on Friday.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long treated Iran as an existential threat to Israel, praised President Donald Trump's move.
The US strike came shortly after Iran-backed protesters surrounded and vandalized the US embassy in Baghdad following US airstrikes that killed about two dozen Iranian-backed militia in Iraq last week. Those US airstrikes were retaliation for the killing of one American civilian contractor in Kirkuk, Iraq a few days prior.
The United Nations condemned the attack, arguing that it "most likely" violated international law in part because the US hadn't faced an "imminent threat" and the strike killed at least six other people.
"Outside the context of active hostilities, the use of drones or other means for targeted killing is almost never likely to be legal," tweeted UN Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings Agnès Callamard.
Soleimani was the key architect of Iran's military and intelligence actions over the last two decades and the US has accused him of having a hand in the deaths of hundreds of US soldiers. He was widely viewed as a hero among Iranians and his death is a significant blow to the country.
Iranian leaders reacted by promising a "forceful revenge" against the US.
"His departure to God does not end his path or his mission, but a forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands," Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said of Suleimani in a statement.
'An extremely dangerous escalation'
European leaders have long opposed Trump's escalation of tensions with Iran, beginning with his decision to pull out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama, and have urged the US to exercise maximum restraint with regard to Iran.
As of Friday morning, European leaders called for deescalation.
"The cycle of violence, provocations and retaliations which we have witnessed in Iraq over the past few weeks has to stop," President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said in a statement. "Further escalation must be avoided at all cost."
Federica Mogherini, the European high representative for foreign and security policy, called the US strike "an extremely dangerous escalation."
The German government released a statement calling for diplomacy to reduce "dangerous escalation," but said the US strike was in response to a "whole series of military provocations for which Iran bears responsibility."
The French minister for European affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, told reporters on Friday, "We have woken up to a more dangerous world."
Tom Tugendhat, former chairman of the UK parliament's foreign affairs committee, suggested that the US's closest allies weren't properly consulted on the US's dramatic move.
"I've long believed that the purpose of having allies is that we can surprise our enemies and not each other, and it's been a pattern sadly, which has been a bit of a shame, that the US administration of late has not shared with us and that is a matter of concern," Tugendhat told reporters Friday. "I would urge the US administration to share much more closely with allies, particularly those who are fighting alongside in the region, including us."
Iraqi leaders condemned the US strike, calling it a violation of the country's sovereignty and of international laws.
"Any security and military operation on Iraqi territory must have the approval of the government," Iraq Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halboosi said in a statement. "We also call on the government in this sensitive circumstance to take the necessary political, legal and security measures to stop such attacks."
Russian and Turkish leaders also criticized the attack.
"The short-sighted acts of the US, the assassination of General Soleimani, lead to a sharp escalation of the military-political situation in the Middle East region and serious negative consequences for the entire international security system," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that Soleimani was key in the fight against the Islamic State (or ISIS).
Netanyahu pushed out a message of support for Trump, saying the US president "deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully, and decisively."
A partisan response at home
In the US, the reaction from lawmakers was deeply partisan. Many Republicans spoke out to defend Trump's move.
"Gen. Soleimani has killed hundreds and hundreds of Americans, and was actively plotting more," GOP Sen. Ben Sasse tweeted. "This commander-in-chief…has an obligation to defend America by killing this bastard."
Meanwhile, Democrats condemned the strike as a dangerous escalation of tensions between the US and Iran that bypassed Congress.
"We cannot put the lives of American service members, diplomats and others further at risk by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Friday morning statement. "Tonight's airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence."