Iranian general Qassem Soleimani “posed a threat to all our interests” and was responsible for a pattern of disruptive, destabilizing behavior in the region, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday.
“UK WILL NOT LAMENT SOLEIMANI’S DEATH”
Johnson, who had until now remained silent over the assassination early Friday of the commander in a US drone strike in Baghdad, said Soleimani played a “leading role” in actions that have led to the “deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and western personnel. We will not lament his death.”
“It is clear, however, that all calls for retaliation or reprisals will simply lead to more violence in the region,” he said, adding the UK is in close contact with all sides to encourage deescalation. “I will be speaking to other leaders and our Iraqi friends to support peace and stability,” Johnson added.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab earlier Sunday urged Iran to take a diplomatic route to deescalate tensions following the killing of Soleimani.
Speaking on the BBC, Raab said US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron “left the door open to a diplomatic route through this, to a better place for Iran,” but that Tehran decided not to take it.