Queen calls summit to discuss Meghan and Harry - The - The Washington Post

Joe Giddens AP Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leaves after attending a morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England, Sunday Jan. 12, 2020.

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II will convene a portentous family meeting on Monday to thrash out the options ahead for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex — and possibly shape the face of the royal house for years.

The meeting, already dubbed the “Sandringham Showdown,” will take place at the queen’s royal-owned country estate of Sandringham in the east of England.

An official at Buckingham Palace, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed reports in the British media that the meeting will go ahead. The official said that the top royals will review “a range of possibilities” and “what the Sussexes said earlier in the week” — they said they wanted to live part-time in North America — will be “taken into account.”

After more than a year and a half of marriage, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are taking a “step back” from their roles as senior royals in an effort to get some peace from the relentless British tabloids.

The palace source also said that the 93-year-old queen wished to resolve the situation “at pace” — translation, “days not weeks.” — but added there’s an understanding that any solution will take “time to be implemented.”

[Meghan flies back to Canada; Prince Harry in ‘crisis’ talks with Prince Charles]

The Monday summit is thought to be the first time that the four top royals have gathered since the bombshell news on Wednesday that Harry and Meghan want to step back from royal duties and seek financial independence.

Meghan flew to Canada a few days ago. The British media have speculated she could dial in.

What kind of family holds such a meeting? The House of Windsor does, a dynasty whose monarch serves as the — albeit mostly ceremonial — head of state in Britain, as well as the Commonwealth nations, whose vast inherited wealth and extensive land holdings make them one of the richest families in Britain.

The meeting could be tense.

Damir Sagolj

Reuters

Britain’s Prince Harry gestures next to his wife Meghan as they ride a horse-drawn carriage after their wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, Britain, May 19, 2018.

The palace was caught off guard — “shocked” or “hurt” or “dismayed,” according to the newspapers — by the Wednesday announcement, though some have suggested it wasn’t so much the content of the news but the timing of the announcement, via Instagram, that startled the palace.

But talks are going ahead and will likely focus on how the royals plan to live part-time in two countries, what kind of work they will do on behalf of the queen, and also the sort of work they will pursue to become “financially independent.”

It is one thing to take salaries as heads of a popular charity and do good works, and entirely another to serve as possible “international influencers” promoting products and becoming a kind of top-shelf version of the Kardashians.

The issue of security arrangements, responsibilities and costs may also come up. Will their protection be paid for and provided by Britain? Or Canada? Or the Sussexes themselves?

On their new independent website, SussexRoyal.com, the couple say that “the provision of armed security by The Metropolitan Police is mandated by the Home Office, a ministerial department of Her Majesty’s Government, responsible for security and law & order.”

Hello! magazine, which has been watching the drama unfold very closely, noted that a line that initially appeared on the Sussexes’ website when it was launched on Wednesday — “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are classified as internationally protected people which mandates this level of security” — has been deleted.

[Harry and Meghan are quitting the castle, but who’s going to pay for the butler?]

Polls show that the majority of Brits are in favor of Megxit, which is what the separation is being called, but alongside that, there is also a majority who don’t want to taxpayers dollars to be spent.

After announcing plans to “step back” from royal duties Jan. 8, Britons outside of Buckingham Palace gave their takes on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s future plans.

The events over the last few days have amplified speculation that there are deep divisions between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and other members of the royal family.

Rumors of a split have been simmering for some time. Harry seemed to acknowledge that there was tension when he was asked if there was a rift between him and his brother, Prince William, by the ITV broadcaster Tom Bradby. Harry told Bradby that he and William were “on different paths at the moment” but added that he loved him “dearly.”

Writing in the Sunday Times, Bradby, who is thought to be close to both brothers, said that things started to sour around the time of Harry and Meghan’s wedding when “really damaging things were said and done.”

He wrote that “it is pretty clear to me from conversations with both sides that this exit could suit everyone, at least in terms of narrow self-interest. But there is no doubt Harry and Meghan feel they have been driven out.”

He also said that when he ever so gently pressed Meghan in that same ITV program if she “was okay,” she answered, “thanks for asking, as not many people have.” Bradby took that response to refer to the royal family rather than the public or media.

He also suggested that there was much that hasn’t come to light.

“I have some idea of what might be aired in a full, no-holds-barred, sit-down interview and I don’t think it would be pretty,” he wrote.

Read more

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The dark side of Harry and Meghan’s fairy-tale escape

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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2020-01-12 13:22:00Z
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Iran admits to unintentionally shooting down Ukrainian plane: Live updates - CNN International

CNN has obtained video through Alireza Azami, an activist in the Netherlands, showing thousands of people gathered in front of the gate of Amir Kabir University in Tehran yesterday.

Azami told CNN the videos were shot by people at the protests who want to remain anonymous for safety reasons. 

In the video below, protesters can be heard chanting “Khamenei have shame. Leave the country."

Some context: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged Iran’s Armed Forces to investigate the “possible shortcomings” that led to the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane on Wednesday.

Watch Azami's video below:

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2020-01-12 13:09:00Z
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Did Iran mean to kill Americans in its Iraq attack? The answer hints at how far Iran will go to challenge US - USA TODAY

Tom Vanden Brook and Courtney Subramanian USA TODAY

Published 7:49 AM EST Jan 12, 2020

WASHINGTON – When President Donald Trump tweeted "All is Well!" Tuesday after Iran's missile attack on two U.S. air bases in Iraq, the danger of imminent war seemed to have passed.

No casualties. It was a warning shot, said a U.S. official after dawn broke Wednesday in the desert. Many outside national security experts agreed, saying they believed Iran took deliberate steps to avoid American casualties. And in a televised address, Trump spoke of "minimal damage" and "Iran standing down" in a relatively restrained retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's second-most powerful figure, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

But by dusk in Washington, the official assessment had darkened. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley became the first of several administration officials to assert Iran had indeed sought to kill U.S. soldiers and destroy vehicles and warplanes.

Days later, Iran's intentions remain a subject of intense debate and some outside experts harbor doubts about Milley's assertion. Iran has been even less clear. Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Aerospace Force, said Tehran was not trying to kill anyone "although tens of US troops have likely been killed and wounded," according to Iran's Fars News Agency.

The question of whether Iran tried to kill U.S. soldiers or merely rattle Americans with a warning shot is significant because the answer hints at how far Tehran is willing to go to challenge the country it calls the "Great Satan."

Persian Gulf: Iran got its revenge for Qasem Soleimani's killing but the US Navy is still a target

"This is the first, not the final, shot from Iran," said Eric Brewer, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who focused on Iran issues at Trump's National Security Council. "Whether or not Iran intended to kill Americans, I don't think we should expect that this is the only step that Iran is going to take on."

If Iran wanted to, they could have

In the chaos before dawn on Wednesday, officials scurried to assess damage from 16 short-range ballistic missiles that Iran had fired at two air bases U.S. and coalition troops occupy in Iraq: al-Assad in the western part of the country and Erbil in the north. Eleven missiles struck at al-Assad, and one fell near Erbil. The rest failed to reach their targets. 

By mid-morning Wednesday, those officials, privy to initial assessments, told USA TODAY that the lack of casualties and relatively minor damage to tents, a helicopter and a hangar were probably intended as a warning that worse could be in store. Part of that theory rests on Iran's capability, displayed in September, to target with precision and damage oil production facilities in Saudi Arabia. If Iran wanted to hit a target, a senior U.S. official said, it would have.

That view gained currency with Trump's address. Backed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Vice President Mike Pence, Milley and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump signaled Wednesday that tit-for-tat steps toward war seemed to have stopped.

"Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world," he said.

Trump vs. Tehran: Iraqis stuck in the middle in battle for Middle East influence

By Friday, the message had changed. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters "there’s no doubt in my judgment, as I observed the Iranian activity in the region that night, they had the full intention of carrying – killing U.S. forces, whether that was our military folks or diplomatic folks who were in the region."

National security experts and many prominent lawmakers suggested that if Iran's aim was to kill U.S. troops, it would have launched more missiles and probably picked different targets such as the U.S. embassy in Baghdad or other parts of the Green Zone where there could have been hundreds of casualties, if not more.

The Iranians waged the bet, fraught with risk but deemed necessary, to launch a conventional attack on U.S. forces to avenge Soleimani's death. 

Mark Quantock, a retired two-star Army general who served as director of intelligence for Central Command, said it appeared that Iran sought to mitigate the risk by signaling the strike long enough in advance to allow U.S. forces to prepare.

In fact, the attack did not surprise U.S. forces. 

Troops had hours to prepare for the attack, dispersing personnel to bunkers well before the missiles crashed down, according to a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly. The warning came from U.S. intelligence sources and was shared with American allies, the official said.

“They were trying to kill equipment and housing,” Quantock said. “They signaled the attack and knew we were watching. Through technical means, we would know that they were fueling missiles and positioning them. They also knew the Iraqis would tell us.”

Second attack: Pentagon launched second attack on an Iranian militant the same day it killed Soleimani

Deaths would have sparked retaliation

But if what Pompeo and other officials are now asserting is true – that Iran ordered a lethal strike – the U.S. was a lot closer to war this week than many people assumed. 

Given time to shelter in bunkers, U.S. forces across Iraq withstood the attack by more than a dozen ballistic missiles. Iran’s goal was to destroy several aircraft and perhaps a munitions bunker that could generate a spectacular explosion, Quantock said.

Had any U.S. deaths occurred, a strike on the Iranian bases that launched the missiles would almost certainly have been the Pentagon's next move, he said.

“Now you’re hitting Iran proper,” he said. “That ups the ante substantially.”

Trump's war powers: House votes to limit President Trump's war powers following Soleimani killing

On Friday, U.S. officials reported Iraq to be quiet. And it may remain so for some time, Quantock added, but it's hardly over. 

“This is phase one of their response,” he said.

Thomas Warrick, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, pointed to Iran's "peculiar sense of symmetry" when it comes to its international views and taking action against the U.S.  

"What we or our allies do to them, they do back to us, not exactly in the same way, but in a similar way," he said of Iran during a panel Thursday. "This in fact makes Iran much more predictable than I think many people opining on these issues tries to say."

While experts agreed further military strikes from Tehran were unlikely, Warrick pointed to comments by President Hassan Rouhani and the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who have both said Iran's strategic objective is to drive U.S. forces from the region. How Iran plans to achieve that goal is less clear. 

Trump-Trudeau: Downing of Ukrainian airliner Iran could draw Trump and Trudeau together

'Blood for blood'

Iran, as Trump noted, may be standing down. For now. Quantock said he expected two more waves of attacks in the coming weeks and months.

The next threat comes from the Iranian-backed militias whose rocket attacks killed an American contractor on Dec. 27 near Erbil. They also laid siege to the U.S embassy in Iraq. Soleimani had firm control over their actions, but his successor is expected to have less influence. They held Soleimani in high regard and will seek vengeance.

“Blood for blood,” Quantock said. “Likely mortars or rocket attacks. Damage, explosions and casualties.”

Such proxy forces, long fostered by Soleimani, pose greater risks of renewed conflict with Iran as the Trump administration has been quicker than prior administrations to blame Tehran for attacks by regional militia groups, CSIS's Brewer said. 

Iran sanctions: Trump administration hits Iran with new economic sanctions

The most recent spate of tensions between Washington and Tehran came after Pompeo blamed Iran for attacks on Saudi oil refineries in September that disrupted 5% of the world's global oil supply. Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the strikes, but Pompeo insisted Iran was behind the attacks. Trump responded by imposing harsher sanctions on the Islamic Republic. 

Finally, the Quds Force that Soleimani led has international reach, creating risks for U.S. embassies and personnel around the world.

Still Warrick warned the gamble the Iranians took show they're relying too much on luck, noting it was "by the grace of God no one was killed" during the strikes on the two Iraqi air bases. 

"It's a huge mistake to rely on luck to save your country from a major and devastating military response, which would have been the case if someone simply decided to go out and retrieve an item in their tent," he said.

"And that kind of action is as dangerous as anything else that I've heard criticized from any party in this dispute," Warrick said. 

Ilhan Omar: Republicans mock Ilhan Omar for saying Iran war talk sparked PTSD

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2020-01-12 12:41:56Z
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Iran braces for protests after admitting plane shootdown - CNBC

Residential and commercial properties sit illuminated on the city skyline in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015.

Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Iran's security forces deployed in large numbers across the capital on Sunday, expecting more protests after its Revolutionary Guard admitted to accidentally shooting down a passenger plane at a time of soaring tensions with the United States.

Riot police in black uniforms and helmets massed in Vali-e Asr Square, Tehran University and other landmarks as calls circulated for protests later in the day. Revolutionary Guard members patrolled the city on motorbikes and plainclothes security men were also out in force. People looked down as they walked briskly past the police, hoping not to draw attention to themselves.

The plane crash early Wednesday killed all 176 people on board, mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians. After initially pointing to a technical failure and insisting the armed forces were not to blame, authorities on Saturday finally admitted to accidentally shooting it down in the face of mounting evidence and accusations by Western leaders.

Iran downed the Ukrainian flight as it braced for retaliation after firing ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces. The ballistic missile attack, which caused no casualties, was a response to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran's top general, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.

Iranians have expressed anger over the downing of the plane and the misleading explanations from senior officials in the wake of the tragedy. They are also mourning the dead, among whom were a large number of young people with promising futures who were studying abroad.

"Even talking about it makes my heart beat faster and makes me sad," said Zahra Razeghi, a Tehran resident. "I feel ashamed when I think about their families."

"The denial and covering up the truth over the past three days greatly added to the suffering and pain of the families, and me," she added.

Another individual, who only identified himself as Saeed, said the largely state-run media had concealed the cause of the crash for "political reasons."

"Later developments changed the game and they had to tell the truth," he said.

Hundreds of students gathered at Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University on Sunday to mourn the victims and protest against authorities for concealing the cause of the crash, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported. They later dispersed peacefully.

A candlelight ceremony late Saturday in Tehran turned into a protest, with hundreds of people chanting against the country's leaders — including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and police dispersing them with tear gas. Protests were also held in the city of Isfahan and elsewhere.

Police briefly detained the British ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, who said he went with the intention of attending the vigil and did not know it would turn into a protest.

"Can confirm I wasn't taking part in any demonstrations!" he tweeted. "Went to an event advertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 tragedy. Normal to want to pay respects — some of victims were British. I left after 5 mins, when some started chanting."

He said he was arrested 30 minutes after leaving the area.

Britain said its envoy was detained "without grounds or explanation" and in "flagrant violation of international law."

"The Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said it was awaiting a police report on the arrest.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed official as saying the ambassador was suspected of organizing and provoking the protesters, which was in violation of diplomatic protocol and justified his arrest on national security grounds.

It said he was taken to the Foreign Ministry, which later released him.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, also accused the ambassador of organizing protests and called for his expulsion.

Iranian media meanwhile focused on the admission of responsibility for the crash, with several newspapers calling for those responsible to apologize and resign.

The hardline daily Vatan-e Emrouz bore the front-page headline, "A sky full of sadness," while the Hamshahri daily went with "Shame," and the IRAN daily said "Unforgivable."

Mehdi Karroubi, an opposition activist under house arrest, lashed out at Khamenei himself.

"You, as the commander in chief of the armed forces, are directly responsible for this," he said in a statement. "If you were aware and you let military and security authorities deceive people, then there is no doubt you lack the attributes of constitutional leadership."

Criticism of the supreme leader is punishable by up to two years in prison.

Tensions with the United States eased after the ballistic missile attack, when President Donald Trump declined to respond and welcomed Iran's apparent decision to stand down.

The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, traveled to Iran for talks with senior officials. Qatar hosts a large U.S. military base and shares an offshore gas field with Iran. It has often served as a mediator between the two countries, which have no diplomatic relations.

Syria's Prime Minister Imad Khamis was also leading a high-level delegation to Iran, which includes the defense and foreign ministers. Syrian state media described it as an "important visit" in light of recent events, without elaborating. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country's civil war, and Soleimani had mobilized militias and coordinated military aid.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also traveling to Iran, with plans to visit Saudi Arabia the following day.

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2020-01-12 12:18:00Z
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The crisis between the US and Iran is far from over - CNN

In an extraordinary mea culpa on Iranian state television Saturday, the commander of the unit responsible said "I wished I was dead," when he realized that what his unit thought was a cruise missile was actually a plane.

Ukraine is demanding a full investigation and compensation for the victims -- mostly Iranian, Canadian and Ukrainian -- who died when the airliner was shot out of the sky, hours after Iran launched a number of missiles at two bases housing US troops in Iraq.

Related: US unsuccessfully targeted another Iranian military official

Now what? How are the families of the passengers and crew compensated for this unbearable loss? And how do US and Iranian government leaders, now in direct and open military confrontation for the first time since Iran's Islamic Revolution, map a route out of this crisis?

There are still many unanswered questions about the evidence of "imminent and sinister attacks" against Americans that led the US to kill General Qasem Soleimani last week. Republican senators, Mike Lee and Rand Paul, joined Democrats complaining about the Trump administration's briefing to Congress. Lee called it: "The worst briefing I've seen -- at least on a military issue -- in my nine years."

Congress also wants to know whether Soleimani was targeting four US embassies before he was killed, as Trump told Fox News on Friday. It will also seek to find out if the US's aim was broader. On the same day the US killed Soleimani in Baghdad, it tried unsuccessfully to kill another senior Iranian military official in Yemen.

In the meantime, the latest USA Today poll since these hostilities started, say Americans do not feel safer since Iran's top general was killed.

The poll found that 55% of Americans say the killing of Soleimani makes the US less safe, while 57% oppose the threat of US airstrikes on Iran's cultural sites and 53% support Congress limiting Trump's ability to order military strikes. Elsewhere, anti-Americanism has soared around the world since Trump took office, according to new Pew research published Wednesday.

The US's European and NATO allies do not support Trump's latest strikes on Iran, nor pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. It's notable that Germany's Angela Merkel went to Moscow Saturday to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to defuse the current crisis. She did not go to Washington.

So, is the crisis between Iran and the US over? No, it is not.

President Donald Trump has announced a new raft of sanctions against Iran. He said in his address Wednesday that, "the US will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions ... these powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior. In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia and shot down two American drones."

Related: How Pompeo convinced Trump to kill Soleimani and fulfilled a decade-long goal

He called on Europe and Russia and the rest of the world to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, while also calling on them to join him in making a new deal with Iran.

"We must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place," Trump said. "We also must make a deal that allows Iran to thrive and prosper, and take advantage of its enormous untapped potential."

The extraordinary direct military confrontation between the US and Iran may be over for now, but Iranian leaders are pushing their longtime political agenda.

In his televised address on Wednesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted: "Military action this way, that's not sufficient. What matters is that the presence of America ... that should come to an end."

And the more moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who was elected in 2013 on his promise to negotiate with the US and improve Iran's relations with the world, backed up Khamenei's message in his own tweet.

Also on Wednesday, in his address to the nation, Trump made remarks that seemed to indicate he too was looking for ways to reduce the US military presence in the region.

"Today I am going to ask NATO to become much more involved in the Middle East process ... America has achieved energy independence ... We are independent and we do not need Middle East oil," he said.

What message does that send to America's Gulf allies, like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia who depend on the US's military umbrella? As a precaution, they are dialing down their hostility and dialing up their diplomatic overtures to Iran.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper had told me that the US wanted to deescalate the crisis.

"We are not looking to start a war with Iran, but we are prepared to finish one. As I've told my many colleagues ... over the last few days, what we would like to see is the situation de-escalated and for Iran to sit down with us to begin a discussion about a better way ahead. We think that's the best approach at this point in time."

While America's allies -- and even its adversaries -- caution against starting another war in the Middle East, it is difficult to see where the opening for discussion, negotiation and a diplomatic solution is right now.

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that the Trump administration's policy would be to confront and contain Iran, but these can be two competing ideas.

Either you confront or you contain, Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin told me. Slotkin, an expert on Shia militias, served three tours of duty alongside US forces in Iraq as a CIA analyst.

She also warned that unless the Trump administration draws up a proper diplomatic strategy, war could still be an accidental consequence of its actions.

"I don't actually question the Secretary of Defense, or even the President's intent that they don't want to get into a war," she told me. "But most wars are not intended.

"Most wars, you get this tit-for-tat that goes in this spiral, and then suddenly each side has its back up and you can't back down, and you inadvertently fall into war," she said.

"I think we are at very high risk of doing right now. So, it's not just about intent. It's our actions mean something beyond our control," Slotkin said.

So what happens now that the President seems to have doubled down on his "maximum pressure" policy against Iran and continues to enforce harsh sanctions?

Iran has called past rounds of sanctions "economic terrorism," and "economic warfare" by the US ever since Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA.)

Former military and government officials tell me that US intelligence had predicted last year that Iran would react to sanctions by attacking shipping in the Gulf and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. The attacks happened but Iran denied any involvement. The sources believe the violence is unlikely to end if the Trump administration policies remain the same.

It is clear from Pompeo's statements after Soleimani's killing that he and the Trump administration are continuing to push for a popular uprising against the Islamic Republic. In other words, they're angling for regime change, despite publicly saying it is not their aim.

Whatever the administration's goal, the millions pouring onto the streets of Iran for four straight days of national mourning this week in the wake of Soleimani's killing, have demonstrated what Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Massoumeh Ebtekar told me: "This is a very clear indication of the response of the Iranian nation and the fact that the presence of the people, the huge crowds are staggering.

"And even for us -- we've been taking part in many of these marches and demonstrations from the beginning of the revolution -- this is something else. From one city to another city, it is a resurrection," she said.

"It's a revival of the Islamic Revolution," she added. "It's a revival of the Iranian nation."

One top US source and former military commander told me that -- for now -- the Trump administration has united the Iranian nation around an unpopular regime.

However, on Saturday there were protests in Tehran against the government after Iran admitted responsibility for the Ukrainian plane crash. Chants of "resignation is not enough, the responsible must be tried" and "IRGC, resignation, resignation. Leave the power," were raised.

Related: Iranian protesters take to streets after Tehran

But as for Esper's contention that the US wants "Iran to sit down with us to begin a discussion about a better way ahead." How is that likely to be received?

Iranian Vice President Ebtekar says reformists like herself, Mohammad Javad Zarif and Rouhani, have been burned on that front too, by Trump pulling out of the JCPOA.

By doing so, she says, he "gave the message that the American government is not looking for peace and security, is not looking for a multilateral resolution ... The time for negotiations has passed, unfortunately."

It remains to be seen whether diplomacy can and will be resumed in the future, whether the US-led fight against ISIS will continue in Iraq and Syria, and whether Iraq itself will become a new battlefield where Iran and Russia, will be the winners.

The Speaker of Iraq's Parliament said the country's government must condemn both US and Iranian military action there, and refuse "to allow the conflicting parties to try to use the Iraqi arena to settle their scores."

By week's end the Iraqi government was again insisting the US should make preparations to withdraw forces from their country, which was Soleimani and Iran's ultimate goal.

Of course, the US killing of Soleimani could end up deterring Iran and setting the table for a win-win diplomatic solution for a better future. It's just hard to see that from here.

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2020-01-12 11:15:00Z
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Iran plane crash: Protesters condemn 'lies' on downed jet - BBC News

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Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in Iran's capital, Tehran, to vent anger at officials, calling them liars for having denied shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane.

Protests took place outside at least two universities, with tear gas reportedly fired.

US President Donald Trump tweeted support for the "inspiring" protests.

Iran on Saturday admitted downing the jet "unintentionally", three days after the crash that killed 176 people.

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, en route to Kyiv, was shot down on Wednesday near Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran shortly after take-off, and only hours after Iran had fired missiles at two air bases housing US forces in Iraq.

Those attacks were Iran's response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

Dozens of Iranians and Canadians, as well as nationals from Ukraine, the UK, Afghanistan and Sweden died on the plane.

What happened at the protests?

Students gathered outside at least two universities, Sharif and Amir Kabir, reports said, initially to pay respect to the victims. Protests turned angry in the evening.

The semi-official Fars news agency carried a rare report of the unrest, saying up to 1,000 people had chanted slogans against leaders and tore up pictures of Soleimani.

The students called for those responsible for the downing the plane, and those they said had covered up the action, to be prosecuted.

Chants included "commander-in-chief resign", referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and "death to liars".

Fars said police had "dispersed" the protesters, who were blocking roads. Social media footage appeared to show tear gas being fired.

Social media users also vented anger at the government's actions.

One wrote on Twitter: "I will never forgive the authorities in my country, the people who were on the scene and lying."

The protests were, however, far smaller than the mass demonstrations across Iran in support of Soleimani after he was killed.

What has been the reaction?

President Trump tweeted in both English and Farsi, saying: "To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you.

"We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted video of the protests in Iran, saying: "The voice of the Iranian people is clear. They are fed up with the regime's lies, corruption, ineptitude, and brutality of the IRGC [Revolutionary Guards] under Khamenei's kleptocracy. We stand with the Iranian people who deserve a better future."

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The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued an angry statement after British ambassador Rob Macaire was arrested "without grounds or explanation" in a "flagrant violation of international law" at one of the protests in Tehran.

Mr Macaire was detained at the demonstration outside Amir Kabir and was later released.

Mr Raab said Iran could "continue its march towards pariah status... or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards".

How did the Iranian admission unfold?

For three days, Iran had denied reports its missiles had brought down the plane, with one spokesman accusing Western nations of "lying and engaging in psychological warfare".

But on Saturday morning, a statement read on state TV accepted the plane had been shot down.

Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace commander, explained what happened.

He said a missile operator had acted independently and alone, mistaking the plane for a "cruise missile" as there had been reports that such missiles had been fired at Iran.

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"He had 10 seconds to decide. He could have decided to strike or not to strike and under such circumstances he took the wrong decision," Gen Hajizadeh said.

"He was obliged to make contact and get verification. But apparently, his communications system had some disruptions."

Gen Hajizadeh said the military would upgrade its systems to prevent such "mistakes" in the future.

He said he had "wished he was dead" after being told of the missile strike.

Gen Hajizadeh said he had informed the authorities about what had happened on Wednesday, raising questions about why Iran had denied involvement for so long.

Ayatollah Khamenei said there was "proof of human error", while President Hassan Rouhani said Iran "deeply regrets this disastrous mistake".

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif laid part of the blame on the US. "Human error at a time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to [this] disaster," he said.

How have Canada and Ukraine reacted?

Both Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Mr Rouhani on Saturday.

• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us'
• Why were so many Canadians on the plane?

Mr Trudeau said he was "outraged and furious" and had told Mr Rouhani that there must be a full investigation with "full clarity on how such a horrific tragedy could have occurred".

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Mr Trudeau said: "Canada will not rest until we get the accountability, justice and closure the families deserve... they are hurt, angry and grieving and they want answers."

Mr Zelensky, who has demanded compensation and an apology, said Mr Rouhani had assured him that "all persons involved in this air disaster will be brought to justice".

In the Canadian city of Edmonton, Pegah Salari is helping to organise a memorial service for the victims from the city on Sunday.

She says the latest admission by Iran means "now it's more than grief", first felt in the Iranian-Canadian community there.

"It's anger, frustration," she said.

Many on the plane were living there, including 10 people - faculty members, students, and alumni - from the University of Alberta.

Ms Salari is openly critical and distrustful of the Iranian government and is watching news of the protests in Iran with both trepidation and hope.

There are some in the Iranian diaspora in Canada who support the government in Tehran, which can cause tension, she said.

For the moment, that has been set aside, Ms Salari says.

"It's not a political matter, it has nothing to do with economics. This for the first time is a human tragedy and all those lost lives has brought people closer and opened some eyes."

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2020-01-12 09:38:04Z
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Protests after Iran admits downing plane: All the latest updates - Al Jazeera English

Protesters in Iran's capital, Tehran, have demanded the resignation of senior leaders following the admission of authorities - after days of denials - that Iranian forces accidentally downed a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on board.

The Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 bound for Kyiv, Ukraine crashed minutes after takeoff from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran on Wednesday. It happened hours after Iran launched missile attacks on US forces in Iraq in retaliation for the US  assassination of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. 

More:

Here are all of the latest updates as of Sunday, January 12:

Twitter users decry Trump's Tweets

Twitter users criticised Trump for saying he stood in solidarity with the Iranian people, noting that he previously threatened to attack 52 Iranian sites "very hard" as tensions between the two nations escalated earlier this month. 

"How about you sit down and mind your own business?!" one Twitter user said. 

Yes we saw how you stood with us when you threatened our cultural sites, starved Iranians with sanctions, and banned us from entering the US. How about you sit down and mind your own business?!
بشین بابا! pic.twitter.com/wbK0KZrCAE

— M. Ali Kadivar محمدعلی کدیور (@MAliKadivar) January 11, 2020

"Only on planet Trump can you ban Iranians from visiting their family in the US, deny them access to life-saving drugs, threaten to bomb their cultural heritage, and then claim that you are in solidarity with them," another Twitter said, referring to US sanctions against Iran and the US administration's Muslim ban.

Trump 'monitoring protests' in Iran

US President Donald Trump told Iranians in tweets in both English and Farsi that he stands by them and is monitoring the demonstrations.

"To the brave, long-suffering people of Iran: I've stood with you since the beginning of my Presidency, and my Administration will continue to stand with you," he tweeted.

"There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching," he added. 

"We are following your protests closely, and are inspired by your courage," he said. 

The government of Iran must allow human rights groups to monitor and report facts from the ground on the ongoing protests by the Iranian people. There can not be another massacre of peaceful protesters, nor an internet shutdown. The world is watching.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020

Britain's ambassador to Iran briefly arrested 

The United Kingdom confirmed its ambassador, Rob Macaire, was arrested briefly by Iranian authorities during demonstrations in Tehran. He was accused of "inciting" the protesters in front of the Amir Kabir University on Saturday.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the arrest was a "flagrant violation of international law" and repeated calls for Iran to de-escalate tensions.

"The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment," Raab said in a statement. "It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards."

Truth about Iran crash could not be hidden: Ukraine's Zelenskyy

The findings by Ukrainian experts in Iran meant that the truth about the crash could not be concealed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a televised address.

He also said that he had agreed with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on the beginning of joint work to decode the black boxes of the Ukrainian plane that was shot down this week. He also urged Ukraine's international partners to be united and persistent until the investigation was complete.

Read the full story here.

Click here to read earlier updates

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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2020-01-12 07:00:00Z
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