New intelligence reports suggest that Israel is plotting attacks on USforces in Iraq to provoke war between Washington and Tehran, Iran’s topdiplomat said on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Twitter that Israeli“agent-provocateurs” are aiming to put outgoing US President Donald Trump“in a bind with a fake casus belli.”
He urged Trump to “be careful of the trap,” warning that “any fireworkswill backfire badly.”
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Tensions between Tehran and Washington have soared in recent weeks,following rocket attacks on the US Embassy in Iraq’s capital Baghdad, whichAmerican officials blamed on Iran.
On Wednesday, President Trump said there was “chatter” about more attacksagainst US forces in Iraq, warning that Iran would be held responsible.
In response, Zarif said in a tweet on Thursday that intelligence reportsindicate a “plot to fabricate pretext of war,” referring to possible falseflag attacks in Iraq.
He said Iran “does not seek war” but is ready to “openly and directlydefend its people, security and vital interests.”
Zarif’s message on Saturday was a continuation of his statement onThursday, now directly pointing a finger at Israel.
Rocket attacks on Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses the US Embassy, haveincreased since Iran’s top military commander Qasem Soleimani was killed ina US drone strike last January.
While Washington has directly accused Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq,especially the Kataib Hezbollah group, Tehran has maintained that thegroups operate independently.
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Ahead of the first anniversary of Soleimani’s assassination this week,speculation has been rife about Iran-allied groups in Iraq planning moreattacks on American installations in the country.
Zarif’s warning of Israel planning false flag attacks in Iraq comes daysafter reports that Israeli and US submarines were moving in the PersianGulf region.
The maneuvers prompted Iranian officials to warn of a strong reaction.
Abolfazl Amouei, a spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s foreign policycommission, was quoted as saying that the move would be viewed as an “actof aggression” and the vessels would be an “easy target” for Iran.
Experts believe that Tel Aviv has been preparing for a possible retaliationfrom Tehran over the killing of its top nuclear scientist MohsenFakhrizadeh in November.
Iran has blamed Israel for the assassination and there have been growingcalls for retribution within the country.
President Hassan Rouhani’s government, however, has opted for “strategicpatience,” saying that it will exact its revenge at an “appropriate time.”
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