The US government spent the day trying to prove that its policy on Iran and Iraq is not in complete chaos, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
The administration had to scramble a response after the chaotic events of Monday evening, when a letter written by America’s head Brigadier General in Iraq, William H. Seely III, came to light. It appeared to order the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and the winding up of its military presence in the country.
The document turned out to be an unsigned draft memorandum from the US command in Baghdad that had been leaked to the pro-Iranian media outlet, Al Ahed, in Iraq. After an hour of confusion, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper clarified in the Pentagon briefing room that the letter was “a mistake”: it was unsigned, it should not have been released… it was poorly worded, implies withdrawal, that is not what’s happening.”
Today, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, held a press conference at the Pentagon in an attempt to restore some clarity. Asked about the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” policy on Iran in the wake of the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, leader of Iran’s Quds special forces, he said: “President Trump could not be more clear: on our watch Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. And as we came into office, Iran was on a pathway that had been provided by the Nuclear Deal, which clearly provided them with an opportunity to have those nuclear weapons.”
Pompeo added: “We have put Iran in a place where it has never been before, where it has had to make very difficult choices…This is a flip from where we were eight years before. It’s not political: the previous administration made a different choice. They chose to underwrite and appease, we have chosen to confront and contain. Those are different strategies. We believe ours is successful, and ultimately believe it will be successful in making Iran behave like a normal nation.”
Pompeo said he was “confident” that this policy would not only “keep Americans safe” but also “create and enhance stability throughout the Middle East.” He added that the Soleimani strike has “saved American lives.”
Soon after Pompeo answered inquiries in the Pentagon press room, Britain’s Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace MP, made a statement in Parliament and answered questions from MPs about the UK’s approach to the US-Iran crisis. Wallace announced that British forces have been stepped up and placed on standby in the region, after two warships were sent to the Persian Gulf two days ago to protect British citizens and trade from possible reprisals from Tehran.
Wallace repeated to the House that the government’s priority was to encourage the “de-escalation” of the situation, adding that “in the coming days we will be doing all we can to encourage Iran to take a different path”. He claimed: “Both sides seem to want a grand deal. It is our duty to get both sides to the table to offer that deal.”
The British government’s position is at odds with the Middle Eastern policy vision set out by the US Secretary of State. Wallace continued to argue that the Iran Nuclear Deal, the JCPOA brokered in 2015, was “the right way forward”, stating that “we will be investing time and effort to make sure that it has a future.”
However, when the acting Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey, asked whether the Defence Secretary would rule out the UK taking part in strikes against Iran in the future, Wallace said: “I’m not going to rule out anything. The UK will do what it has to do to defend its persons, its citizens. We cannot say what’s in the minds of Iran or anybody else in the future – that’s why we will always reserve that right to take the decision at the time of it.”
While Wallace was facing questions in the House, the Prime Minister was speaking to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey about the situation in Iran. Downing Street issued a statement stressing the importance of finding a diplomatic way through the current crisis. Johnson and Erdoğan agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and must comply with the terms of the nuclear deal.
The consequences of US President Donald Trump’s decision to order the killing of the head of Iran’s Quds Force, Soleimani, will now play out. Ayatollah Khamenei has promised “severe revenge” on his Farsi language Twitter account. On 4th January, Iranian state TV showed a red flag being raised above the Jamakaran mosque in the holy city of Qom, a symbol of unjust bloodshed and a call to avenge the slain Soleimani. Meanwhile, US military personnel in the Middle East have been placed on high alert, and the UK has also stepped up preparations in the region to protect its citizens and prepare for potential retaliation.
