Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Photo: AFP
TEHRAN,— Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei strongly condemned U.S. attacks on Iran-allied militia group in Iraq, Iranian state TV reported on Wednesday, blaming the United States for the violence in the neighbouring country.
“The Iranian government, nation and I strongly condemn the attacks,” state TV quoted Khamenei as saying.
The U.S. military carried out air strikes on Sunday against the Kataib Hezbollah militia in response to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a Friday rocket attack on an Iraqi military base.
U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of orchestrating violent protests at the U.S. embassy in Iraq on Tuesday and said Tehran would be held responsible. Iran has rejected the accusation.
“Again that guy (Trump) has accused Iran for the attacks. You cannot do a damn thing. If you were logical, which you are not, you would see that your crimes in Iraq and other countries have made nations hate you,” Khamenei tweeted.
“If Iran decides to confront a country, we will do that openly … If anyone threatens our nation’s interests we will fight back … without any hesitation.”
Hundreds of Iran-allied Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters hurled stones at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad for a second day on Wednesday and security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to drive them away.
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