Howlin condemns US assassinations of Iranian and Iraqi Leaders

Reacting to the assassination by US air strike of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, condemned these attacks.

Brendan said:

“The US air strike on the motor convoy carrying Soleimani and al-Muhandis killed ten people. The US had no UN mandate for this aggressive action, which tramples over international law and may lead to a dangerous escalation of violence in the Middle East, with wide-ranging humanitarian consequences.

“Since the attack, I have waited to hear the US explanation, to see if they can provide evidence of their claim of an imminent attack on US citizens. Instead, US Vice-President Mike Pence has repeated unsubstantiated and improbable claims linking Soleimani, a Shia leader, to the 9/11 attacks on New York carried out by Sunni militants.

“Unfortunately, it is possible that this military action was an attempt by President Trump to distract from his upcoming impeachment trial in the US Senate and to seek to use the US-Iran conflict to support his re-election.

“I condemn these attacks as a major breach of international law and an attack on basic human rights, as well as a dangerous act that could ultimately lead to a major war in the Middle East.”