It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Edmonton victims of Wednesday's Ukraine jet crash in Iran, clockwise from left: University of Alberta professors Mojgan Daneshmand and Pedram Mousavi and their daughters Daria and Dorina Mousavi; Newlyweds Arash Pourzarabi, and Pouneh Gorji; U of A graduate student Amir Hossein Saeedinia; University of Alberta student Nasim Rahmanifar; Shekoufeh Choupannejad, an obstetrician, gynecologist at Northgate Mall. SUPPLIED PHOTOS
The city hasn’t seen a single event with this number of casualties since Black Friday, when a tornado ripped through the eastern end of Edmonton on July 31, 1987, killing 27 people.
Postmedia has confirmed the identities of 13 Edmontonians. The names of more Edmontonians who perished will be added as they are identified.
Victims of the Ukraine International Airlines crash in Iran, University of Alberta professors Mojgan Daneshmand, left, and Pedram Mousavi, pose in an undated family photo in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.HANDOUT / VIA REUTERS
Mojgan Daneshmand
Born in 1976, Daneshmand was a professor of engineering at the University of Alberta. In 2016, she received an award for her scientific contribution to the field of microwave engineering and for being a role model for women in engineering.
Pedram Mousavi
Mousavi was married to Daneshmand. Mousavi was born in 1972 and also worked at the University of Alberta as an engineering professor.
“He was the best boss I ever had in my life,” said Hossein Saghlatoon, who worked under the supervision of Mousavi. “To be honest, I’m still shaking since I got the confirmation.”
Saghlatoon said Mousavi and Daneshmand were world-renowned in their respective fields and their loss would be felt both at home and abroad.
“They were so full of energy to come back,” said Saghlatoon. “He wasn’t just a professor, he was actively working to do something different, he was hungry, he was hungry for bringing more.”
The family was described as “the happiest family you can ever imagine” with Saghlatoon saying he will always remember their laughing voices.
Victims of the Ukraine International Airlines crash in Iran, University of Alberta professors Mojgan Daneshmand and Pedram Mousavi, pose with their daughters Daria and Dorina Mousavi in an undated family photo.HANDOUT / VIA REUTERS
Daria and Dorina Mousavi
The 14-year-old and nine-year-old daughters of Mousavi and Daneshmand. They attended school in southwest Edmonton.
Newlyweds Arash Pourzarabi, 26, and Pouneh Gorji, 25, are among 30 Edmontonians killed after a plane crashed shortly after taking off from the Tehran International Airport in Iran.SUPPLIED
Arash Pourzarabi and Pouneh Gorji
Twenty-six-year-old Pourzarabi and 25-year-old Gorji were travelling back after getting married in Iran on Jan. 1. They were both graduate students at the U of A and were remembered as soulmates.
“If you met them, even once, you could tell these two belong together,” said Amir Forouzandeh, a friend of the newlyweds.
Forouzandeh said the pair were top students in their program with Pourzarabi previously taking part in an extremely competitive academic competition in Iran.
Amir Samani, another friend of the couple, said he was still in denial that the couple is gone just a week after their wedding.
“I can’t understand what’s going through my mind. I even check my phone to see if he will go back online again, to talk again,” said Samani.
University of Alberta student, Nasim Rahmanifar.EDMONTON
Nasim Rahmanifar
Rahmanifar was born in 1994 and two friends speaking at the Iranian Heritage Society’s headquarters in downtown Edmonton said she was studying for a master’s degree in mechanical engineering last year. She had flown home to Iran for the first time since she finished exams to surprise her family.
“We were always talking about what we should do next, what we should do after graduation,” said Ramin Fathian, holding back tears.
“She was planning to expand her master’s degree into a Ph.D. We just convinced her that she could do it,” added Sina Esfandiapour.
Esfandiapour said he had taken Rahmanifar coat shopping on a number of occasions as she was worried about facing her first Canadian winter. Before she travelled home they went souvenir shopping for her aunt’s baby daughter.
Amir Hossein Saeedinia, PhD student at the Center for Design of Advanced Materials at University of Alberta has been identified as another victim of the Ukraine International Airlines plane crash outside Tehran International Airport.EDMONTON
Amir Hossein Saeedinia
Born in 1994, Saeedinia was a graduate student at the University of Alberta. According to a biography on the U of A website, Saeedinia was a Ph.D. student at the Center for Design of Advanced Materials focused on “the science behind modelling material behaviour, and on using the developed model to design better coating materials in wear, fatigue, and tension environments.”
Elnaz Nabiyi
Nabiyi was a U of A graduate research assistant fellow with the Alberta School of Business.
Mohammad Mahdi Elyasi
Elyasi was a former Edmontonian who graduated from the U of A in 2017. Elyasi then moved to Toronto and worked as a mechanical designer.
Shekoufeh Choupannejad, an obstetrician, gynecologist at Northgate Mall, died along with her two daughters, Saba and Sara Saadat.SUPPLIED
Shekoufeh Choupannejad
Born in 1963, Choupannejad was an obstetrician and gynecologist who worked at Northgate Mall.
Sara Saadat
Born in 1996, Sara Saadat was one of the daughters of Choupannejad.
Saba Saadat
Born in 1998, Saba Saadat was one of the daughters of Choupannejad. She attended the University of Alberta as a medical student who spent the summer studying placental dysfunction, examining how the placenta is formed and the development of pregnancy complications.
Members of Edmonton's Iranian community held a candlelight vigil on the steps outside the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on Wednesday January 8, 2020 in memory of the victims of the Ukraine International Airlines crash near Tehran, Iran. LARRY WONG / POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Canadians have learned to hold their breath for word of a loved one’s well-being whenever news breaks of a natural disaster or a calamitous accident in faraway parts of the world.
That’s because our citizens are fond of travel and are often to be found in far-flung places in disproportionate numbers when misfortune strikes. But it’s also because Canada is among the world’s most culturally diverse countries, with so many of us visiting our old homelands that Canada is too often touched by tragedy far beyond its borders.
So it was that a contingent of 63 Canadians happened to be on board a Ukraine International Airlines passenger jet that crashed shortly after take off from Tehran International Airport on Wednesday, killing all 167 passengers and nine crew members.
It didn’t take long for the catastrophe to hit home across Canada among the nation’s Iranian diaspora. Shortly after the crash, there was word that at least 12 B.C. residents were among the 63 Canadians killed. Eight victims were from Ontario, with casualties at both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.
But no place has been more touched by this tragedy than Edmonton where at least 30 of the victims called home. Edmontonians will be hard pressed to remember another single calamity that has claimed the lives of so many of their own.
Most of those who perished appear to be part of the city’s small but proud Iranian-Canadian community of about 4,000 people — which was already dealing with troubling news from their homeland this week when an Iranian general was killed in a U.S. airstrike.
It’s clear that the aftermath of the accident reverberates well beyond the victims’ families, the Iranian-Canadian community and the university where many of the dead worked or studied. Our city has been robbed of some of its best and brightest citizens.
“We lost amazing, young, brilliant members of our community and this absolutely not just a shock to the Iranian community, it’s absolutely a shock to the whole of Canada,” said Reza Akbari, president of the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton.
The names of the dead continue to trickle in but the early toll includes students, professors and doctors — among them Arash Pourzarabi and Pouneh Gorji, both graduate students in computer science at the University of Alberta. The two newlyweds were returning home from their nuptials along with their wedding party when the plane crashed.
A young family was wiped out when Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand — both professors of engineering at the U of A — perished along with their two young daughters, Daria, and Dorina. U of A grad students Nasim Rahmanifar and Amir Hossein Saeedinia were also killed. Shekoufeh Choupannejad, an obstetrician, gynaecologist at Northgate Mall, died along with her two daughters, Saba and Sara Saadat.
Other heartbreaking stories are sure to follow as the names of other victims come to light in the days ahead. All Edmontonians, and Canadians, join with the Iranian community in celebrating their lives and mourning their loss.
An Edmonton memorial for all victims is being planned for Friday. If the turnout for the city’s past communal tragedies are any indication, Edmontonians will turn out in force to show their support for the victims’ families, co-workers and friends.
As a shocked Mayor Don Iveson said Wednesday, “Edmonton is in mourning today, our community has suffered a terrible loss.”
Local editorials are the consensus opinion of the Journal’s editorial board, comprising Colin McGarrigle, Dave Breakenridge and Bill Mah.
A vigil was held Wednesday night for the Edmonton victims of the Iran plane crash. Jan. 8, 2020. (CTV News Edmonton)
EDMONTON -- Candles were lit, prayers were said and people held each other while weeping at the Alberta Legislature Wednesday night, as about 75 people gathered to mourn Edmonton residents killed in a plane crash in Iran.
The Ukraine International Airlines flight was en route to Kyiv from Tehran when it crashed minutes after takeoff.
The Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton says at least 27 Edmontonians were on board the flight.
“We are here for the memory of our friends who we lost in this tragedy. It’s super cold, but still the people came here because we love them,” Iranian-Edmontonian Aidin Pour said.
“When I came here [to the vigil] I felt better. We are a small community, but we should support each other.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Jason Kenney and Mayor Don Iveson all offered condolences Wednesday.
MLAs from both the governing UCP and the opposition NDP were at the vigil to make statements of sympathy from a podium on the steps of the legislature.
“We want you to know that we are with you. We walk with you. You are not alone,” said Kaycee Madu, MLA for Edmonton-South West.
The tragedy has hit the city’s academic community particularly hard, as at least 10 of the victims have been identified as faculty, students or alumni at the University of Alberta.
Edmonton is home to 4,165 people of Iranian origin, according to the 2016 federal census.
“We know the Iranian community has made great contributions here to our city and our province,” Edmonton- City Centre MLA David Shepherd said.
“It has been our honour, as a province, to continue to welcome so many who have come here to learn, to study and to make their home.”
Plans for more vigils are being made, with one likely to happen at U of A campus on Friday and the IHIS Edmonton Mosque on Saturday.
“We may have lost some friends yesterday, but they’ll never be forgotten,” said Payman Parseyan, a member of Edmonton’s Iranian community, said.
The arrival of a new year, it is said, brings both change and challenge.
But it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
As many Edmontonians were fighting the arrival of winter’s fury on a morning commute Wednesday, one of the most shocking tragedies in the city’s history was unfolding 10,000 kilometres away.
For me, and I suspect many of my fellow residents, this was one of those “where were you” moments, learning about the crash of Ukrainian Airlines International Flight PS752 near Tehran.
My plan for the day was to write a column looking ahead to some of the developments Edmonton can expect to see in 2020. It was to include mentions of a new bus system coming this summer, the arrival of green bins for organics and a decision on residential speed limits.
All of it now seems beyond trivial, in light of the news that our city has begun the new year while losing as many as 30 of our residents in a single moment.
Jan. 8 will be a day long lamented in Alberta’s capital.
In trying to come to grips with a catastrophe of this scale, many questions come to mind.
Was it a mechanical failure that led to an engine fire, as early reports suggest? Could pilot error have been involved, or an issue that can be tied back to troubled airline manufacturer Boeing?
Or was there some connection to the violent hostilities that have started between the United States and Iran?
The timing of the crash, just hours after Iran fired missiles at two U.S.-staffed bases in Iraq in retaliation for the targeted killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, is hard to dismiss.
The families of the victims deserve answers to these questions, but when, or if, those answers will come remains in limbo, especially if Iran makes good on its reported vow not to turn over the plane’s black boxes for independent investigation. The Canadian government must use every means at its disposal to get to the bottom of this.
But those are problems for the days and weeks ahead. For today, the focus must be on the human tragedy, which is enormous: 176 people dead, including 63 Canadians.
As of the final version this column, Postmedia had confirmed names of 13 Edmontonians who died. According to local Iranian-Canadian leaders, that may not represent even half the list.
The victims who have so far been revealed engender tremendous heartbreak, perhaps none moreso than Arash Pourzarabi, 26, and Pouneh Gorji, 25, a young couple who were at the height of their lives after being married in Iran last Friday. They were both graduate students in the University of Alberta’s computer science program, returning for the winter semester.
An unknown number of friends of the couple, who had travelled to Iran to take part in the celebrations, also perished.
As much as Edmonton bears a disproportionate burden of this tragedy, so, too, does the University of Alberta, which has a connection to at least 10 of the victims.
Besides Pourzarabi and Gorji, the list includes engineering professors Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand, along with their two daughters, Daria, 14, and Dorina, 9. Daneshmand had the honour of being a Canada Research Chair, and won an award in 2016 in part for being a role model to women in engineering.
Sisters Sara Saadat and Saba Saadat were students at the U of A, both, apparently, in the medical field like their mother Shekoufeh Choupannejad, a respected and charitable obstetrician-gynecologist at Northgate Mall. All three died in the crash.
According to his U of A webpage, Nasim Rahmanifar was a grad student looking at shoulder strain among wheelchair users with spinal cord injuries, while Amir Hossein Saeedinia‘s area of study was on the dynamics of predicting risks to ceramic-metal materials.
Other names with U of A links are Mohammad Mahdi Elyasi and Elnaz Nabiyi, who we will hopefully learn more about in short order.
As their stories start to be told, we must recognize how devastating a blow this is to Edmonton’s 4,300-member community of Iranian-Canadians, and to the city as a whole.
You can imagine the mindset of many of the victims as they boarded the plane early Wednesday, likely relieved to be leaving Iran at a time when the country may be on the verge of war with the United States. Many of their relatives were likely also anxious to see the passengers land safely back in Canada, only to hear that their plane went down shortly after takeoff.
Iranian-Canadians form a community that has given much to our city, contributing not just to our cultural enrichment but also helping to strengthen so many of the public institutions we all depend on, from law, medicine and government to public services, education and business.
They are our colleagues, our neighbours, our friends and family.
They have given to all of us. And we must now recognize our obligation to give back to them when they need us most.
We must react with compassion and support, ensuring that their needs are met through this time of mourning, and recognizing that further tragedy may lie ahead as tensions escalate between Iran and the U.S. government of Donald Trump.
I know Edmontonians will do their part, as we never forget Jan. 8.
With the end of winter break for schools and limited travel options between Iran and Canada, 63 Canadians ended up on a Ukraine International Airlines flight to ...
As Jammu and Kashmir leaders languish in detention, new entrants seek to fill political void in post-Article 370 scenario
#FREEKASHMIR #KASHMIR IS #INDIA'S #GAZA
Even as the current political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir faces a time of crisis, new young faces are trying to create a niche for themselves.
In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Mehbooba Mufti in detention, her 33-year-old daughter Iltija Mufti appears to be running the show.
Another young emerging face in Kashmir’s politics is Sheikh Khalid Jehangir.
Srinagar: Even as the current political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir faces a time of crisis, new young faces are trying to create a niche for themselves.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, top leaders of mainstream parties, including three former chief ministers —Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti—have been in detention. Sensing a vacuum, mainstream parties are now grooming new faces to create an alternative leadership.
Iltija Mufti
In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Mehbooba Mufti in detention, her 33-year-old daughter Iltija Mufti appears to be running the show. Iltija holds a graduate degree in political science from Delhi University and a postgraduate degree in international relations from Warwick University.
File image of Iltija Mufti. Image procured by Mudassir Kuloo
To a question on her entry into politics, she said, “I will always raise issues of the common people. But I am yet to decide whether to join politics." She has been running her mother's Twitter account since the latter was detained, and has been slamming the Centre's policies on Kashmir. She had also criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the Centre for booking her mother’s political rival Farooq Abdullah under the Public Safety Act.
Last week, Iltija said that she had been detained by the police when she tried to visit the mausoleum of her grandfather Mufti Mohammad Saeed in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara.
Sheikh Khalid Jehangir
Another young emerging face in Kashmir’s politics is Sheikh Khalid Jehangir. The journalist-turned-politician joined the BJP in 2014 and became the party’s Jammu and Kashmir Affairs spokesperson.
Khalid had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Srinagar against Farooq Abdullah last year.
Speaking to this reporter, Khalid said, “The youth can become community leaders to end dynastic politics of Kashmir. Since 1947, high-profile families brought their children into politics and became close to New Delhi. The youth were told that New Delhi is not a well wisher of Kashmiris. Now, Kashmiri youth are well-educated and realise that mainstream politics is the best way to serve the community.”
Speaking about regional leaders in detention, he said that their "ego and corrupt mind have distanced them from the people."
The BJP leader had served as vice-chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC), a premier government undertaking corporation, when the Mehbooba Mufti-led government was in power.
Speaking about the abrogation of Article 370, Khalid said, "The government of India wanted Kashmir’s integration with the rest of the country, and they have done it. The decision has ended dynastic politics of Kashmir.” He further said that he joined the BJP as it "does not spread lies and believes in oneness."
Ridwana Sanam
Ridwana Sanam, an emerging face in Kashmir's politics, hails from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. She had contested the 2019 parliamentary polls from Anantnag as an Independent candidate.
Ridwana, who considers former president APJ Abdul Kalam as her role model, said, “Instead fighting and pelting stones, the youth should focus on constructive leadership. I contested elections to make youth understand how they can join politics and fight for their own rights,”
She further said, “I am ready to guide youth who are willing to join politics. The youth, especially women, should join politics to contribute to society.”
Ridwana, who is also a social work in the field of healthcare, claimed that she is getting offers from parties in Kashmir and New Delhi to join them. “I did not join any party because there is a fear that women may be exploited in politics," she said.
Aijaz Hussain
Aijaz Hussain of south Kashmir’s Pampore has risen through the ranks and has become the national vice-president of BJP’s youth wing. He is being groomed as prospective bigwig of the BJP in Kashmir. A BJP leader said,“The BJP is projecting him as a young face in Kashmir. He was a part of the BJP’s election campaign in various states, especially in Muslim-dominated areas."
File image of Aijaz Hussain. Image procured by Mudassar Kuloo
While pursuing engineering from a college in Chennai, Aijaz was influenced by ABVP. When he returned to Kashmir, he started his own business and later joined BJP.
Aijaz is one of the prominent youth faces of BJP who scouts for young recruits in the Valley. In July 2016, Aijaz was inducted in the BJP’s national youth team, the first Kashmiri to reach that level in the party.
Tauseef Raina
Tauseef Raina has emerged as a new mainstream voice in Kashmir. Hailing from north Kashmir, he contested urban local body elections unsuccessfully. He was one among the few people from Kashmir who met the European Union delegation that visited the Valley.
Raina said, “The exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is a blot on Kashmiriyat. Youth like me have only seen bloodshed. We were looking at mainstream parties and Hurriyat with some hope, but they failed us all. The Hurriyat carries out politics on dead bodies of Kashmiris. We are against bloodshed."
He exhorted “sensible” youth to come forward and join politics. “I want that honest individuals should be elected to lead the people. Leaders should get their mandate from the people, not through parties that contest polls," he said.
“I joined politics after seeing the suffering of people. Our politics is based on accountability, development, peace and dialogue,” he added.
Zubair Nisar Bhat
Ever since the panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre has been talking about strengthening grassroots politics in the new Union Territory.
In the elections, Zubair Nisar Bhat became the youngest panchayat member of Kashmir. Zubair contested elections from Harwan, Srinagar. He was a part of a delegation of panchayat members who met Union ministers post 5 August.
Bhat said, “I was affiliated with the National Conference, but the Peoples Conference is asking me to join it. I am yet to decide which party to join. I will contest for the post of chairperson of district development board."
Bhat had earlier worked at a call centre for some time, before joining politics.
He has been strengthening his presence in Harwan and adjoining areas. He asserted, "The youth should come forward and join politics. We know the kind of politics mainstream politicians and separatists carried out in the past."
Maulvi Tariq
Another emerging leader is Maulvi Tariq, who has quit the BJP to join the Sajad Lone-led People's Conference. He heads the Jammu and Kashmir Panch Sarpanch Local Bodies Association, an organisation floated to highlight the problems faced by panchayat members.
“It was because of me that BJP won 109 seats in urban local bodies elections,” he said.
Engineer Mehraj
Engineer Mehraj is another young face, who unsuccessfully contested the 2014 parliamentary elections from Srinagar Lok Sabha.
“I will decide about my future course of action in February. My father Khurshid Ahmad Malik, who is a social activist, has the support of 110 Panches and Sarpanches. He may float his own party if he manages to get support of good people,” he said.
File image of Engineer Mehraj. Image procured by Mudassir Kuloo
Meanwhile, a group of aspiring politicians met Union ministers several times in the past few months. These people are being labeled by some as the “B team of the BJP”. One of them recently said that they will fight for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Recently, BJP chief spokesperson in Jammu and Kashmir Sunil Sethi said some people (apparently referring to Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti) had become political leaders through "blackmailing”.
“The BJP wants that a new leadership should take up the place and fill the vacuum. These emerging leaders should be more concerned about people,” he said.
However, political analyst Rekha Chowdhary said there is no strategy in place for the restoration of the mainstream political space. She said, “The only official reference to politics relates to panchayats. One can see that panchayat leaders are being propped up as the real representatives of the people."
A PDP leader who wished not to be named said that the very base of mainstream politics has been taken away with the abrogation of Article 370. “There is nothing that mainstream politicians can offer to Kashmiris,” he said.
The Congress, however, believes that mainstream politics has not lost relevance in Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief GA Mir said that people across India are understanding the “lies” of the BJP. “The Citizenship Amendment Act became a tipping point. The BJP’s political agenda has reached the lowest ebb. Its downfall has started. The BJP can’t make Kashmir an experimental ground any longer. Its efforts to suppress people won’t succeed,” he said.
Senior National Conference leader Mustafa Kamal said that New Delhi has “deceived” Kashmiris. He said, “The National Conference has been and will always fight for the rights of Kashmir. There is nothing wrong if a new leadership emerges, but they should be sincere in their efforts."
Shafiq Mir, the chairman of the All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Association (AJKPA), claimed that New Delhi as well as the Jammu and Kashmir administration failed to empower panchayats in the new Union Territory.
“The holding of panchayat elections was a mere eyewash. The government is lying in claiming that it is empowering panchayat members,” he claimed.
Updated Date: Jan 09, 2020
---30---
THE FOG OF WAR
Iran claims 80 Americans killed in retaliatory fire on US bases in Iraq as Donald Trump says 'all is well'; world powers urge restraint
While US and Iraqi officials said there were no casualties among their forces, Iranian television was quoted by Reuters as saying that 80 Americans had been killed
Iran struck back at the United States early on Wednesday for killing its most powerful military commander, the head of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani
Despite the heightened rhetoric, there were some indications that there would not be more immediate retaliation on either side
As Iran claims that 80 American soldiers were killed in its retaliatory fire on US military bases in Iraq and Donald Trump insists "all is well", the stakes are raised in the conflict that many fear can tip the world towards a third global war, if caution is not exercised from both sides.
US and Iraqi officials confirmed the Iranian attack but said there were no casualties among their forces; Iranian television channels, on the other hand, were quoted by Reutersas saying that 80 "American terrorists" had been killed and US helicopters and military equipment had been damaged. It provided no evidence of how it obtained that information.
Iran's strike was a retaliation for killing of its most powerful military commander, the head of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, by the US. Tehran, on Wednesday morning, fired a barrage of missiles at two Iraqi military bases that house American troops in what the Iranian supreme leader said was a 'slap' against America’s military presence in the region.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressing a gathering of Iranians chanting "Death to America", also called for the US troops to leave the region.
"Last night they received a slap," Khamenei said in a speech after the missile strikes. "These military actions are not sufficient (for revenge). What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end."
However, despite the acrid rhetoric, there were some indications that there would not be more immediate retaliation on either side.
Tehran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran took "proportionate measures" in self-defence and did not seek to escalate the confrontation.
Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched.
We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.
The next move appeared to lie with Washington. Trump, who ordered the drone strike that killed Soleimani in Baghdad on 3 January, gave an initial response on Twitter: “All is well!” adding that he would make a statement later on Wednesday.
All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.
Trump, who was impeached last month and faces an election this year, at the weekend threatened to target 52 Iranian sites if Iran retaliate for Soleimani’s killing.
Other global powers who also have a presence in Iraq have said that they have not suffered any casualties either. Germany, Denmark, Norway, Britain, and Poland said none of their troops in Iraq were hurt.
More than 5,000 US troops remain in Iraq along with the other foreign forces in a coalition that has trained and backed Iraqi forces against the threat of Islamic State militants. "As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said.
Mourners attend a funeral ceremony for Qassem Soleimani and his comrades, who were killed in a US drone strike last week. AP
Zarif said the strikes "concluded" Tehran’s response to the killing of Soleimani, who had been responsible for building up Iran’s network of proxy armies across West Asia and who was buried in his hometown Kerman on Monday after days of national mourning.
"We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," he wrote on Twitter.
Iranian television reported an official in the supreme leader’s office as saying the missile attacks were the "weakest" of several retaliation scenarios. It quoted another source saying Iran had lined up 100 other potential targets.
Way out?
If the US military was spared casualties and Iran takes no further measures to retaliate for Soleimani’s killing, there might be an opportunity for Washington and Tehran to seek a way out of their increasingly violent confrontation.
Analysts have said that despite its strident rhetoric, Iran will want to avoid any conventional military conflict with superior US forces.
In the past, they say it has focussed on asymmetric strikes, such as sabotage or other military action via proxies. US officials said Soleimani was killed because of intelligence indicating forces under his command planned attacks on US targets in the region. They have not provided evidence.
Before Soleimani was buried, his body was taken on a tour of cities in Iraq and Iran, drawing huge crowds. A stampede at his funeral on Tuesday killed at least 56 people.
An hour after the Iranian missile attack, state television showed footage of the burial, where hundreds of people started chanting “God is greatest” when the strikes were announced over loudspeakers.
“His revenge was taken and now he can rest in peace,” Iranian television said.
Tensions have been rising steadily in the region after Trump’s decision to unilaterally withdraw America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. In 2018, Trump withdrew from the deal approved by predecessor Barack Obama in 2015, and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran slashing its vital oil exports.
Khamenei, in his speech on Wednesday, ruled out any resumption of talks with Washington on the 2015 deal.
The killing of Soleimani and the strikes on the Iraqi bases housing US troops marked the first time in recent years that Washington and Tehran have attacked each other directly rather than through proxies in the region.
It raised the chances of open conflict erupting between the two rivals, who have been at odds since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and the subsequent US Embassy takeover and hostage crisis.
Adding to the chaos, a Ukrainian airplane with 176 people crashed after takeoff just outside Tehran on Wednesday morning, killing all on board, Iranian state TV and Ukrainian officials said.
The Boeing 737-800 had taken off from Imam Khomeini International Airport, bound for the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and mechanical issues were suspected.
The plane carried 167 passengers and nine crew members from different nations. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Vadym Prystaiko, said there were 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians on board — the Ukrainian nationals included two passengers and the nine crew. The rest were Swedish, Afghan, German and British nationals.
The US Federation Aviation Administration had earlier warned of a “potential for miscalculation or mis-identification” for civilian aircraft in the Persian Gulf amid in an emergency flight restriction. The agency has barred US pilots and carriers from flying over areas of Iraqi, Iranian and some Persian Gulf airspace.
Wednesday’s missile strikes came as the US continues to reinforce its own positions in the region and warns of an unspecified threat to shipping from Iran in Mideast waterways, which are crucial routes for global energy supplies. US embassies and consulates from Asia to Africa and Europe have also issued security alerts for Americans.
US allies in the Persian Gulf that host thousands of American troops are also concerned of an outbreak of direct conflict and retaliation from Iran. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have called for de-escalation.
“The situation is not currently a war situation,” UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazrouei told reporters Wednesday, stressing that Iran is a neighbor and the last thing the country wants is more tension in the region.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned the US and its regional allies against retaliating over the missile attack on the Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq’s western Anbar province. The Guard issued the warning via a statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
"We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted," the Guard said. It also threatened Israel.
After the strikes, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator posted a picture of the Islamic Republic’s flag on Twitter, appearing to mimic Trump who posted an American flag following the killing of Soleimani and others Friday.
Ain al-Asad air base was first used by American forces after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, and later saw American troops stationed there amid the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. It houses about 1,500 US and coalition forces. The US also acknowledged another missile attack targeting a base in Irbil in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
The Iranians fired a total of 15 missiles, two US officials said. Ten hit Ain al-Asad and one the base in Irbil. Four failed, said the officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly about a military operation.
Two Iraqi security officials said at least one of the missiles appeared to have struck a plane at the Ain al-Asad base, igniting a fire. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the attacks, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they had no permission to talk to journalists.
Trump had visited the Ain al-Asad air base, about 100 kilometres west of Baghdad, in December 2018, making his first presidential visit to troops in the region. Vice President Mike Pence also has visited the base.
While most global powers have called for restraint, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that his country would strike back hard against anyone who attacked it, as he reiterated his support for the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani last week.
"Whoever tries to attack us will be dealt the strongest blow," Netanyahu said in Jerusalem. He said that Israel “stands completely” beside Trump’s decision, saying Trump should be congratulated for acting "swiftly, boldly and resolutely."
Democrats warn against escalating conflict with Iran
Trump’s US political rivals have challenged his decision to order Soleimani’s killing and questioned its timing in a US election year. Democrats in the US Congress and some of the party’s presidential contenders warned about the escalating conflict.
“We must ensure the safety of our service members, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence. America and world cannot afford war,” US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Twitter.
With inputs from AP and Reuters
Updated Date: Jan 08, 2020 17:26:30 IST
Iran will welcome peace initiative by India to de-escalate tension with US, says Tehran’s envoy Ali Chegeni
Iran'sAmbassador to India, Ali Chegeni also expressed the hope there would be no further escalation in hostilities between his country and the US
The ambassador's comments came hours after Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq
Tehran said it was a 'slap in the face' of America
New Delhi: Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India to de-escalate tensions with the US following the killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian envoy said on Wednesday while asserting that his country wants peace not war.
Iran's Ambassador to India, Ali Chegeni also expressed the hope there would be no further escalation in hostilities between his country and the US.
The ambassador's comments came hours after Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq. Tehran said it was a "slap in the face" of America.
Representational image. Reuters
"India usually plays a very good role in (maintaining) peace in the world. India belongs to this region. We welcome all initiatives from all countries, especially India as a good friend for us, to not allow escalation (of tensions)," Chegeni told reporters after a condolence meeting for Soleimani at the Iranian Embassy.
"We are not for war, we are looking for peace and prosperity for everybody in this region. We welcome any Indian initiative or any project that can help peace and prosperity in this world," he said.
General Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran''s elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq’s powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force.
On the Iranian attack on US targets in Iraq, Chegeni said his country retaliated under its right to defend.
Amid spiralling US-Iran tensions over the killing of Soleimani, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday had a conversation with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, voicing India's concerns over the escalation of tensions.
Meanwhile, sources said Zarif is expected to visit India to attend the Raisina Dialogue next week.
During his visit, Zarif will also hold talks with Jaishankar, the sources said.
India has reached out to several stakeholders in the region over the security situation prevailing in West Asia.
Jaishankar has also separately spoken with Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf Alawi, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well his Jordanian and Qatari counterparts Ayman Safadi and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani respectively, on the tense situation in the region.
Noting that India is a "good friend", Chegeni said, "My minister (Javad Zarif) talked to Dr Jaishankar, they had a very good discussion. Recently we had the joint economic commission in Tehran...We see a very good future for the relationship. We have no problem with India."
He said Iran and India can jointly work for peace in the world.
Asked if Indian officials have reached out to the Embassy with a condolence message, the Iranian envoy said the embassy had opened a condolence book for two days and he expects Indian officials to come but it is "up to the Indian side".
"Usually we have good relations and sympathy between the two countries," he said.
The Iran Embassy here has been seeing a steady stream of envoys coming and expressing condolences on the death of Soliemani.
Concerns have mounted across the globe over fast-deteriorating diplomatic ties between the US and Iran, and the spiralling tensions in the Gulf after Soleiman was killed.
Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US.
Talking about the US drone strike that killed Soleimani, Chegeni said, "He was in a third country. So this is very important for the world to not allow such an inhuman, illegal act which is against international rights."
"He (Soleimani) was the one who removed the threat of ISIS from the world. Why you should kill him. That means you are supporting terrorists. If Gen Soleimani didn't act against ISIS, what would have happened to India, to Europe, and to all of the world because ISIS was really anti-human," he said.
The world owes a debt to "anti-terrorist hero" Soleimani, he said.
"That is why my country today officially retaliated based on the legitimate rights we have....We are not for war. We are not for escalation, but defending is our right," Chegeni said.
"Everyone has the right to defence, even animals and trees," he asserted.
"This is not revenge, this was the right of our people. All the Iranian people asked for retaliation, early morning at the same time our national hero was attacked... we attacked the military bases," he said.
