Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper says it was time for the Biden administration “to do better than just playing defense” to Iranian threats on Trump administration officials.

The Biden administration has again extended government protection to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and one of his top Iran aides due to persistent threats against them from Iran.

The Biden administration has determined that Iranian threats against former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and one of his former top aides remain credible and persist.

The stabbing of author Salman Rushdie has laid bare divisions in Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim community.

Salman Rushdie's agent says the author is “on the road to recovery” two days after suffering serious injuries in a stabbing at a lecture in upstate New York.

Iraq still doesn’t have a government, eight months since national elections took place, and there seems no clear way out of the dangerous deadlock.

Iranian missiles that struck northern Iraq earlier this week have laid to waste the sprawling mansion belonging to an Iraqi Kurdish oil tycoon near a U.S. consulate complex in the Iraqi city of Irbil.

Police say a woman stabbed her date whom she had met online in retaliation for the 2020 death of an Iranian military leader killed in an American drone strike.

The U.S. and the Iraqi military say Katyusha rockets have struck Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. troops at Baghdad’s international airport and in the western Anbar province.

Officials say the U.S. led-coalition in Syria struck several launch sites for short-range rockets believed to be intended for attacks on an installation used by U.S. troops in eastern Syria.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized a ship in the Red Sea, armed drones targeted Baghdad’s international airport, and hackers hit a major Israeli newspaper.

Hundreds of people chanting anti-American slogans have rallied in the Iraqi capital to mark the anniversary of the killing of a powerful Iranian general and a top Iraqi militia leader in a U.S. drone strike.

Thousands of Iranians have gathered on the streets of Tehran for the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy.

Two U.S. congresswomen have renewed demands for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide a formal apology and release records in connection with the January 2020 detainment of 200 Iranian Americans at the U.S.-Canada border.

U.S. officials say they believe Iran was behind the drone attack last week at the military outpost in southern Syria where American troops are based.

Iran’s new president slammed U.S. sanctions imposed on his nation as a mechanism of war.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has voted to finally repeal two decades-old measures giving open-ended approval for military action in Iraq.

President Joe Biden says the U.S. military’s combat mission in Iraq will conclude by the end of the year.

Iraq’s prime minister says his country no longer requires U.S. combat troops to fight the Islamic State group.

The White House says President Joe Biden will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi later this month in Washington.

The leader of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia has vowed to retaliate against America for the deaths of four of his men in a U.S. airstrike along the Iraq-Syria border last month.

U.S. forces in Syria came under rocket attack Monday, with no reported casualties, one day after U.S. warplanes conducted airstrikes against what the Pentagon called “facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups” near the border between Iraq and Syria.

The Democratic-led House has passed legislation to repeal the 2002 authorization for use of military force in Iraq.

The White House and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are endorsing efforts to terminate the 2002 authorization of military force against Iraq.

The top U.S. commander for the Middle East says finding better ways to counter attacks by small drones across the region is a top priority and that the U.S. is still behind the curve on solutions.

A recording of Iran’s foreign minister offering a blunt appraisal of diplomacy and the limits of power within the Islamic Republic has leaked out publicly.

A first round of direct talks between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran signal a possible de-escalation following years of animosity that has often spilled over into neighboring countries.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq has shifted to training and advisory roles, allowing for redeployment of combat forces that remain in the country.

A leading human rights expert who is taking over leadership at Amnesty International is tackling vaccine equity as one of the major issues confronting the world today.

Callamard, who led a United Nations investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has been appointed the new leader of Amnesty International. The international human rights group said Callamards four-year term as secretary general begins Monday, March 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)LONDON – Agnes Callamard, who led a United Nations’ investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has been appointed the new leader of Amnesty International. The international human rights group said Callamard’s four-year term as secretary general begins Monday. Callamard, a French human rights expert, has previously led free-speech organization Article 19 and directs the Global Freedom of Expression Project at Columbia University.

A U.S. airstrike targeting facilities used by Iran-backed militias in Syria appears to be a message to Tehran delivered by a new American administration still figuring out its approach to the Middle East. Kirby said the operation in Boukamal, Syria, sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel. In the meantime, relations with Iran have been further strained as the country's proxies become more assertive, with Iran-backed militias increasingly targeting U.S. interests and allies. Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said the operation in Boukamal, Syria, sends an unambiguous message: “President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel. By striking Syria, Biden joins every American president from Ronald Reagan onward who has ordered a bombardment of countries in the Middle East.

WASHINGTON – The United States launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities near the Iraqi border used by Iranian-backed militia groups. The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops. Officials have noted that in the past, Iranian-backed Shiite militia groups have been responsible for numerous rocket attacks that targeted U.S. personnel or facilities in Iraq. A week later, a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone appeared to target the U.S. Embassy compound, but no one was hurt. The December 2019 killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack in Kirkuk sparked a tit-for-tat fight on Iraqi soil that brought the country to the brink of a proxy war.

FILE - In this picture released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addresses the nation in a televised speech in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. in Tehran, Iran. Twitter says on Friday, Jan. 22, it has permanently banned an account connected to the office of Irans supreme leader. Other accounts thought to be tied to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis office remained active. Other accounts tied to Khamenei's office that did not tweet the golf-drone photo, including his main English language account, remained active. In his speech, Khamenei did not call out Trump by name, but reiterated a vow for vengeance against those who ordered and executed the attack on Soleimani.

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, rescue workers search the scene where an Ukrainian plane was shot down in Shahedshahr, southwest of Tehran, Iran. More questions than answers remain about the disaster that killed 176 people on board the Ukrainian jetliner, a year after Irans military mistakenly downed the plane with surface-to-air missiles. At first, Iran had denied its involvement in the plane crash but then announced that its military had mistakenly and unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner. The statement was signed by ministers of Afghanistan, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom. ___This story was corrected to remove reference to France, which had no citizens on board the downed aircraft.

“If anybody is to be called a hostage taker, it is the South Korean government that has taken our more than $7 billion hostage under a futile pretext,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said. As the vessel's captain spoke to company security officials back in South Korea, armed Iranian troops stormed the tanker as an Iranian helicopter flew overhead, the official said. The crew included sailors from Indonesia, Myanmar, South Korea and Vietnam, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday it views Iran’s ship seizure “very gravely.”Foreign Ministry's spokesman Choi Young-sam said Iranian officials have assured South Korea that the ship’s crew were all safe. He said an Iran-based South Korean diplomat has been dispatched to the location of the detained ship.

Following the Nov. 3 election and subsequent recounts in some states, as well as unsuccessful court challenges, the outcome is clear, they wrote, while not specifying Trump in the article. The former Pentagon chiefs warned against use of the military in any effort to change the outcome. “Efforts to involve the U.S. armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory,” they wrote. Biden has complained of efforts by Trump-appointed Pentagon officials to obstruct the transition. In reversing himself, Miller cited “recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other U.S. government officials.” He did not elaborate, and the Pentagon did not respond to questions.

Thousands of Iraqis converged on a landmark central square in Baghdad on Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of the killing of Soleimanil and al-Muhandis in a U.S. drone strike. Sunday's rally was being held amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. in the final days of President Donald Trump’s administration. Their killing dramatically ratcheted up tensions in the region and brought the U.S. and Iran to the brink of war. In Yemen, Iran’s embassy in the rebel-controlled capital, Sanaa, held a ceremony commemorating the killing of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. “This ceremony today shows the deep ties between the two governments and people of Yemen and Iran,” he said.

As the end of his presidency neared, Trump cut short his stay at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida and got back to the White House a day ahead of schedule. The White House didn't give a reason for Trump's early return, and the schedule change means Trump will miss the glitzy New Year’s Eve party held annually at his Palm Beach club. During his vacation, Trump also took near daily swipes on Twitter at Georgia Republican Gov. He went as far as barring them from his Christmas Day remarks to the troops, the type of event the White House typically opens for news coverage. McConnell blocked attempts by Democrats to force a vote in that chamber on the higher payments sought by Trump.

The Pentagon announced Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, that the USS Nimitz, the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, will return home to the U.S. West Coast. Navy via AP)WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has decided to send home the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, a move that will reduce American firepower in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran. Sending the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, home to the U.S. West Coast would seem at odds with the idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. “Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. The U.S. has maintained a near-continuous aircraft carrier presence in the Persian Gulf region since the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent in May 2019 amid concerns that Iran was considering attacking U.S. interests in the region.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East. Because of the potential for escalation that could lead to a wider war, the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks. Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the United States for that attack. That flight was repeated this week, with two B-52s flying nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf.

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2020 file photo, debris litters the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. Iran will pay $150,000 for each victim, state TV reported, without specifying a timeline for the awards. The announcement comes as the families of victims prepare to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 8 crash and diplomats from nations that lost citizens push Iran for more cooperation on the investigation and compensation issues. For months, the governments of the five affected countries have demanded that Tehran accept “full responsibility” for the crash and pay compensation to the victims’ families in line with international agreements. The association representing the families of victims released a statement last week lambasting Iran’s compensation offer and demanding an independent and transparent investigation into the crash.

The long-range heavy bombers, which are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, are a formidable sight and are flown less frequently in the Middle East than smaller combat aircraft, such as American fighter jets. Bomber deployments and short-term flights to the Middle East and Europe have been used in the past to message Iran, a few times in the last two years. According to officials, the bombers flew out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on Wednesday and conducted the flight into Thursday. The two bombers left the U.S. Wednesday evening, arrived in the Middle East early Thursday morning, and then began the return trip home. U.S. bombers from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota flew a similar mission in late November.

But the ship was ordered to return last week to provide additional security while the troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan continue. No timeline was given, but the U.S. military official speaking Monday made it clear that the change is open-ended, and it's not clear when the ship's crew will return home. The potential Iranian threat has become an increasing concern in recent weeks following the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Iran has blamed the death on Israel, which has been suspected in previous killings of Iranian nuclear scientists. The military official said the U.S. is aware of Iranian attack planning and threats, and that some are more mature, while others are aspirational.

FILE - In this March 27, 2020 file photo, U.S. soldiers stand guard during the hand over ceremony of Qayyarah Airfield, Iraqi Security Forces, in the south of Mosul, Iraq. A U.S.-led coalition provided crucial air support as Iraqi forces, including Iran-backed militias, regrouped and drove IS out in a costly three-year campaign. Senior Iraqi military officials in Baghdad say the withdrawal of 500 American troops will have little, if any, impact. “It’s true we have a stronger army, stronger security forces,” said Najm Jibouri, the governor and former head of provincial operations in Nineveh, which includes Mosul. A significant drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq — while popular at home — could reduce his leverage.

He swept away agreements with some nations, alienated longstanding allies and pulled out of multilateral obligations that he said didn’t serve the interests of the United States. AGREEMENTS, ALLIES AND ADVERSARIESTrump has made a point of moving away from the Obama administration’s and world powers’ Iran nuclear pact. Biden, who was vice president to the more multilateral Obama, could re-engage with allies who have actively opposed Trump’s policy, and potentially with Iran itself. Trump has criticized allies who he says are not contributing as much as the United States. ___Tamer Fakahany is AP’s deputy director for global news coordination and has helped direct international coverage for the AP for 17 years.

He swept away agreements with some nations, alienated longstanding allies and pulled out of multilateral obligations that he said didn't serve the interests of the United States. AGREEMENTS, ALLIES AND ADVERSARIESTrump has made a point of moving away from the Obama administration's and world powers' Iran nuclear pact. Biden, who was vice president to the more multilateral Obama, could re-engage with allies who have actively opposed Trump's policy, and potentially with Iran itself. Trump has criticized allies who he says are not contributing as much as the United States. ___Tamer Fakahany is AP’s deputy director for global news coordination and has helped direct international coverage for the AP for 17 years.

The sanctions effectively bar Iran from selling its oil globally. “The United States can impose neither negotiations nor war on us,” Rouhani said, adding: “Life is hard under sanctions. Because Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement, few U.N. member states believe the U.S. has the legal standing to restore the sanctions. Iran has steadily broken restrictions on the amount of uranium it can enrich in order to pressure countries to do more. It was his last speech to the U.N. assembly as president of Iran.

FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2019 file photo, a man counts his banknotes and traveler checks in Tehran, Iran. On Sunday, Sept 20, 2020, Iran dismissed U.S. efforts to restore all U.N. sanctions on the country as mounting economic pressure from Washington pushed the local currency down to its lowest level ever. As the currency plummeted, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani slammed the Trump administration's declaration Saturday that all U.N. sanctions against Iran have been reimposed because Tehran is not complying with the nuclear deal. They say the U.S. lost legal standing to invoke snapback sanctions when President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 and began reimposing U.S. sanctions on Iran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the snapback sanctions have only happened in “the fantastical world” of the Trump administration.

“We took out the world’s number one terrorist and the mass murderer of American troops and many, many troops and many people all over the world,” Trump said. Very bad guy.”Salami rejected the report of an Iranian plot to assassinate Ambassador Lana Marks, but made clear that Iran intends to avenge the general's death. “Do you think we hit a female ambassador in return to our martyred brother?’ the general said. You should know that everybody who had role in the event will be hit, and this is a serious message. Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Iran with sanctions since he pulled the United States out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.

President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, in Washington. On some of the most troublesome national security challenges facing America — nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea — Trump has failed to make deals. The White House, for its part, casts Trump's recent flurry of foreign policy activity as evidence that long-sought initiatives are coming to fruition. “He’s not running on his foreign policy,” Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner told White House reporters last week. “If North Korea behaves true to form, then we should expect to see some sort of provocations -- maybe not before but after the election,” Cha said.

President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, in Washington. On some of the most troublesome national security challenges facing America — nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea — Trump has failed to make deals. The White House, for its part, casts Trump's recent flurry of foreign policy activity as evidence that long-sought initiatives are coming to fruition. “He’s not running on his foreign policy,” Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner told White House reporters last week. “If North Korea behaves true to form, then we should expect to see some sort of provocations -- maybe not before but after the election,” Cha said.

WASHINGTON The United States will pull thousands of troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan by November, the top American commander for the Middle East said Wednesday, as President Donald Trump tries to make good on his campaign promise to get America out of endless wars." Later, McKenzie said troop levels in Afghanistan would drop to 4,500 by November. Trump's Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, was asked Wednesday if he agreed with Trumps move to draw down troops. U.S. troops invaded Iraq in 2003 and left in 2011 but returned in 2014 after the Islamic State group overran large parts of Iraq. Trump aides have faulted the Obama administration for having pulled out of Iraq too soon in 2011 but say the time is now right.

WASHINGTON The United States is reducing its troop presence in Iraq this month from 5,200 to 3,000, the top American commander for the Middle East said Wednesday, as President Donald Trump tries to make good on his campaign promise to get the United States out of endless wars." During a visit to Iraq, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said the reduction in Iraq reflects U.S. confidence in the ability of U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces to handle the militant threat from the Islamic State group, which entered Iraq from Syria in 2014. They invaded Iraq in 2003 and left in 2011 but returned in 2014 after the Islamic State group overran large parts of Iraq. McKenzie said the remaining U.S. troops would continue advising and assisting Iraqi security forces as they attempt to root out remnants of the Islamic State group, sometimes called ISIS. In response to the Soleimani killing, Iran on Jan. 8 launched a ballistic missile attack on al-Asad air base in Iraq, which resulted in traumatic brain injuries to more than 100 American troops.

WASHINGTON The United States plans to reduce its military force in Iraq from the current 5,200 to about 3,500 by November, U.S. officials said Friday. Trump met last week at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Pompeo said after meeting last week with Iraqs foreign minister that Washington was committed to helping Iraq regain and maintain security. Tensions spiked between the U.S. and Iraq in January after a U.S. drone strike near the Baghdad airport killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Angry Iraqi lawmakers, spurred on by Shiite political factions, passed a nonbinding resolution to oust all U.S.-led coalition forces from the country.

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, debris at the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. Iran has retrieved some data, including a portion of cockpit conversations, from the Ukrainian jetliner accidentally downed by the Revolutionary Guard forces in January, killing all 176 people on board, an Iranian official said Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2020, file photo, debris at the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran. Iranian authorities had initially denied responsibility, only changing course days later, after Western nations presented extensive evidence that Iran had shot down the plane. In the months since the downing of the plane, Iran has struggled with vast domestic economic problems and a major health crisis. Later in the day, Iranian state TV quoted Zangeneh as saying the data showed the Ukrainian plane was on the right flight path. Planes carry two different flight recorder devices, called black boxes — the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, left, speaks at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, during a news conference with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right. Trump and Iraq's prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, were to meet at the White House Thursday morning. There is still work to do," Pompeo told reporters at a State Department news conference with Iraq's foreign minister Fuad Hussein. We want an Iraq that is corruption free, prosperous and fully integrated into the global economy," Pompeo said. Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out a planned drawdown this year as Iraqi security forces take the lead in combat and air raids.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, left, speaks at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020, during a news conference with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right. Pompeo said the United States was committed to helping Iraq regain and maintain security, despite President Donald Trumps oft-stated desire to reduce and then eliminate the American troop presence there. We want an Iraq that is corruption free, prosperous and fully integrated into the global economy," Pompeo said. He said Iraq currently does not need direct military support on the ground, and that the levels of help will depend on the changing nature of the threat. Meanwhile, the U.S.-led coalition has been carrying out a planned drawdown this year as Iraqi security forces take the lead in combat and air raids.

In this July 26, 2020, satellite photo provided on July 27, by Maxar Technologies, an Iranian fast boat, top left, approaches a mockup aircraft carrier built by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite photographs released Monday, July 27, showed Iran has moved the aircraft carrier out to sea likely for naval drills amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the U.S. (Maxar Technologies via AP)DUBAI Iran has moved a mock aircraft carrier to the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the U.S., satellite photographs released Monday show, likely signalling the Islamic Republic soon plans to use it for live-fire drills. The USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed last year as tensions initially spiked, spent months in the Arabian Sea before heading through the strait. The replica carries 16 mock-ups of fighter jets on its deck, according to the satellite photos taken by Maxar Technologies. Last summer saw a series of attacks and incidents further ramp up tensions between Iran and the U.S.

Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, right, wears a mask to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus walks with his Iraqi counterpart, Fouad Hussein during his visit to Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)BAGHDAD Iran's foreign minister on Sunday stressed that Iran-Iraq relations would not be shaken ahead of the Iraqi prime minister's planned visit this week to regional rival Saudi Arabia. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's visit to Baghdad was the first since the American assassination of top Iranian General Qassim Soleimani outside Baghdad airport in January. Talks encompassed energy and investment, with Iraq relying heavily on Iranian gas and electricity imports to meet power demands. Hussein, the foreign minister, said the trips were to build balanced relations."

GENEVA U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has criticized an independent U.N. human rights expert's report insisting a American drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January was a watershed event in the use of drones and amounted to a violation of international law. She said the United States had not engaged with her as she drafted the drone report. Callamard wrote that the strike targeting Soleimani was qualitatively different from other drone strikes that targeted non-state actors. This is the primary reason the Soleimani strike is considered a watershed change in the conduct of extra-territorially targeted strikes and killings, she stated in the report. The report's release came as the United States mounts an increasingly intense diplomatic offensive to try to depict Irans Islamic Republic as the worlds most rogue regime.

Angry Iraqi lawmakers, spurred on by Shiite political factions, passed a nonbinding resolution to oust all U.S.-led coalition forces from the country. And al-Kadhimi has pledged to protect American troops and installations from attacks. Certainly we need some foreign presence in Iraq, McKenzie said. U.S. and coalition forces continue to conduct training and counterterrorism operations, including with Iraqi commandos. He said that as Iraqi troops grow more competent, fewer coalition forces would be needed.

The United States has circulated a draft Security Council resolution to extend the arms embargo indefinitely, and Pompeo said the United States overwhelming preference is to work with its 15 members to adopt it. Pompeo spoke at a virtual open meeting of the council on implementation of resolution 2231, which was adopted in 2015 to endorse the Iran nuclear deal. The arms embargo is included in the measure. Zarif told the council later that the U.S. violated all provisions of the deal by its withdrawal and insisted that the arms embargo be lifted completely on its Oct. 18 expiration date. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow opposes "blessing the U.S. maximum pressure policy through the arms embargo resolution.

TEHRAN Iran has issued an arrest warrant and asked Interpol for help in detaining President Donald Trump and dozens of others it believes carried out the U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad, a local prosecutor reportedly said Monday. While Trump faces no danger of arrest, the charges underscore the heightened tensions between Iran and the United States since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Alqasimehr did not identify anyone else sought other than Trump, but stressed that Iran would continue to pursue his prosecution even after his presidency ends. Alqasimehr also was quoted as saying that Iran requested a red notice be put out for Trump and the others, which represents the highest-level arrest request issued by Interpol. After receiving a request, Interpol meets by committee and discusses whether or not to share the information with its member states.

In this Wednesday, June 10, 2020, photo, Sharon Chuter poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. JEFFERSON DAVIS STATUE TORN DOWN IN VIRGINIA Protesters toppled a statue of the Confederate president along Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue. ‘IT WAS CLEARLY A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN’ Many homes for people with developmental disabilities were ill-equipped to protect the highly vulnerable population from the coronavirus pandemic, an AP investigation finds. WHY SOME SPORTS COULD BE IN PERIL Tennis and golf tournaments could be in real financial trouble because of the coronavirus pandemic because those two sports rely heavily on spectators and local sponsors.

In this Sunday, June 7, 2020 satellite photo provided by Maxar Technologies, a fake aircraft carrier is seen off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran. As tensions remain high between Iran and the U.S., the Islamic Republic appears to have constructed a new mockup of an aircraft carrier off its southern coast for potential live-fire drills. (Satellite image 2020 Maxar Technologies via AP)DUBAI DUBAI, United Arab EmiratesAs tensions remain high between Iran and the U.S., the Islamic Republic appears to have constructed a new mock-up of an aircraft carrier off its southern coast for potential live-fire drills. The mock-up strongly resembles a similar one used in February 2015 during a military exercise called Great Prophet 9. During that drill, Iran swarmed the fake aircraft carrier with speedboats firing machine guns and rockets. An exercise targeting a mock U.S. aircraft carrier could send that message as well, particularly if it involves a swarm attack of smaller vessels, which analysts believe Iran would employ if it did get into a shooting war with the U.S. Navy.

(Sepahnews via AP)Pandemic or not, are there some global currents whose flows are too strong to stop? North Korea has closed the country to foreign travel while it claims no infections — something that defectors and experts have strong reason to doubt. Now, the most pressing questions this week have become: Where is Kim, and what's the status of his health? North Korea watchers saw red flags when Kim missed the celebration of his late grandfather Kim Il Sung on April 15, the country’s most important holiday. Bloodline is a central fact of ruling North Korea, and Kim's seeming absence has fueled talk of succession.

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and historically low oil prices, the missile launch may signal a new willingness to take risks by Iran. The three-stage satellite launch took off from Iran’s Central Desert, the Guard said, without elaborating. The base is in Semnan province, which hosts the Imam Khomeini Spaceport from which Iran's civilian space program operates. Rob Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, told The Associated Press that American officials continue to monitor Iran’s program. Tehran also says it hasn’t violated a U.N. resolution on its ballistic missile program as it only “called upon” Iran not to conduct such tests.

Coalition forces handed over the K1 base in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk to Iraq's military, according to a coalition statement. Until last month, there were some 7,500 coalition troops based in Iraq, including 5,000 U.S. forces. K1 has hosted coalition forces since 2017 to launch operations against IS in nearby mountainous areas. A senior coalition official earlier this month claimed IS forces weren't as able to exploit the “security gap” between Iraqi and Kurdish forces, as the militants did in the past. U.S.-led forces have already withdrawn this month from the Qayara base in Nineveh province followed by the Qaim base near the border with Syria.

Coalition forces withdrew from al-Qaim on the Iraq-Syria border, with others planned across Iraq in the coming weeks. The plan was in the works since late last year, a senior coalition military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. There are about 7,500 coalition troops in Iraq assisting and providing training to their Iraqi security counterparts to fight the Islamic State group. The coalition official said the attacks, believed to be carried out by Iran-backed militia groups, did not factor into the decision to pull out. Iraq's military has also paused training activities with the coalition because of concerns about the coronavirus, the coalition official said.

(AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)TEHRAN – Hundreds of thousands across Iran marked the anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution on Tuesday amid some of the highest tensions ever between Tehran and the U.S. in the past four decades. The shoot down also marred funeral processions that drew millions of mourners for Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. In November, protesters angered by Iran raising government-set gasoline prices by 50% blocked traffic in major cities and occasionally clashed with police. A series of attacks across the Mideast culminated with the U.S. launching the drone strike that killed Soleimani in January. "You are too desperate to bring Iran to its knees.”Iran’s Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest over the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

TEHRAN – Iran will send the black box flight recorders from the Ukrainian jetliner that it accidentally shot down last week to Ukraine for further analysis, an Iranian official said Saturday. Hassan Rezaeifer, the head of accident investigations for the civil aviation department, said it was not possible to read the black boxes in Iran, without elaborating. Three days later, Iran admitted responsibility after Western leaders said there was strong evidence the plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile. The victims included 57 Canadian citizens as well as 11 Ukrainians, 17 people from Sweden, four Afghans and four British citizens. The other five nations have demanded Iran accept full responsibility and pay compensation to the victims' families.

Then there is a flash of light as it seems to collide with something in the air. Western leaders have said the plane seemed to have been unintentionally brought down by a surface-to-air missile near Tehran. Call the fire department!” The names are two suburbs of Tehran near the airport. Another clip, filmed from inside a traveling car at distance, shows a pinpoint fiery light moving at speed. This footage then shows the plane exploding far on the horizon, illuminating the darkened sky.

FILE - In this July 3, 1988 file photo, the crew of the USS Vincennes stands at attention to salute the USS Samuel B. Roberts which left the Persian Gulf. The Western allegation that Iran shot down a Ukrainian jetliner and killed 176 people offers a grim echo for the Islamic Republic, which found itself the victim of an accidental shootdown by American forces over 30 years ago. (AP Photo/Greg English, File)

CHICAGO, IL – An Instagram account masquerading as a U.S. government news agency was used to promote misinformation about potential fallout from America's targeted killing last week of Iran’s top general. The VOA Persian's official Instagram account uses the handle VOAFarsi and is verified, with a blue check mark in its profile. The caption of that Instagram post, written in Farsi, claimed that Zeinab Soleimani said she was a U.S. citizen. The fake Instagram account had 181 posts before it was removed, Facebook said. The fake Instagram account also listed a YouTube account in its profile.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump on Tuesday backed away from his threats to target Iranian cultural sites if Iran retaliates against the U.S. for killing one of its top generals. Targeting cultural sites is a war crime. Separately, in 2017, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution condemning the destruction of heritage sites. UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, has called on governments to remember that cultural sites are not targets. Questioned about the matter again Tuesday, Pompeo said every action taken by the U.S. “will be consistent with the international rule of law,” though he did not specifically rule out Iranian cultural sites.

In this image made from a video, mourners gather to pay their respects to the slain Gen. Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a U.S. airstrike, in Kerman, Iran Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (Iran Press via AP)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. STAMPEDE ERUPTS AT IRAN GENERAL’S FUNERAL More than 30 people were killed and nearly 200 injured during the procession for Gen. Qassem Soleimani, killed in a U.S. airstrike last week. PUERTO RICO HIT BY ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE A 6.4-magnitude temblor strikes the U.S. territory before dawn, causing widespread power outages. NEW LEGAL WOES HIT GHOSN Prosecutors in Tokyo obtain an arrest warrant for the wife of Nissan's former chairman on suspicion of perjury.

That could include anything, from challenging U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, firing ballistic missiles or deploying the asymmetrical proxy forces Iran has cultivated to cover for its long-sanctioned conventional forces. Iran denied being involved, though it did seize oil tankers in response to one of its tankers being seized off Gibraltar. But as Europe largely hasn't been able to offer Tehran a way around American sanctions, Iran has begun taking steps away from the deal. To counter that, Iran has put much of its money toward developing a ballistic missile program operated by the Guard. The U.S. has blamed car bombs and kidnappings never claimed by Iran on Tehran as well.

Iran has used such groups in the past to strike its regional foes, including Israel, and could mobilize them if the killing of Soleimani ignited an armed conflict — dramatically expanding the battlefield. The militias fall under the umbrella of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of mostly Shiite militias that were incorporated into the country's armed forces in 2016. Today it is among the most effective armed groups in the region, extending Iran's influence to Israel's doorstep. At home, the group's power exceeds that of the Lebanese armed forces, and it is part of a political alliance that now leads the government and parliament. But Islamic Jihad, still smarting from the recent fighting, could be keen to join in any regional conflict by firing rockets.