world news

Washington viewed Soleimani as an adversary while Tehran saw him as a leader who enhanced Iran’s geopolitical power. This difference in opinion can now lead to a larger conflict between Iran and United States.

The United States killed Iran’s top general and the architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport early on Friday.

A retaliatory response was expected from Iran, which could potentially plunge West Asia, an area already at the edge, into a military conflict.

Soleimani has in recent years become an unlikely celebrity in Iran -- replete with a huge following on Instagram.

Soleimani was in charge of Iranian Intelligence gathering and covert operations. He was very close to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, and seen as a potential future leader of the country.

The Pentagon said Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s IRGC, was “actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region”.

‘US bears responsibility for consequences of its rogue adventurism’: Iran FM on top commander Soleimani’s killing.

The Pentagon, in a statement, said Soleimani was killed at “the direction of the President” in a “decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad”.

Following Soleimani’s death, Trump tweeted an image of the US flag without any further explanation.

The Hashed is a network of mostly-Shiite armed units, many of whom have very close ties to Tehran, who have been officially incorporated into Iraq’s state security forces.

The single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft has been developed jointly by China and Pakistan.

Indranill Basu Ray, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis, US, will present the “new protocol” at the 107th ISC to be held from January 3-7.

Nineteen-month-old Harvey Keaton stood quietly, sucking on a pacifier, as the fire service commissioner pinned a posthumous commendation for bravery and service to his neatly pressed, oversized Rural Fire Services (RFS) shirt.

There is no emigration data showing Ghosn’s departure from Japan but he entered Lebanon on a French passport, public broadcaster NHK said.

Three lanterns bearing hand-written New Year’s wishes were discovered in the smouldering debris. Tearful visitors lit candles and left flowers and soft toys at the entrance of the zoo on Wednesday.