Mark T Esper

Iran launches retaliation against killing of Gen Qassem Soleimani by attacking US' Al Asad Air Base in Iraq

Iran attacked a US base in western Iraq early Wednesday, Iranian official news media and US officials said, the start of what Iran had promised would be retaliation for the killing of a top Revolutionary Guards commander

Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wants to put country's stamp on reprisal for US killing of top general

In the tense hours following the American killing of a top Iranian military commander, the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a rare appearance at a meeting of the government's National Security Council to lay down the parameters for any retaliation.

In blowback to Soleimani's death, Iran draws out of 2015 nuclear deal, says no limits on enrichment; Iraqi Parliament calls for expulsion of foreign troops

The blowback over the US killing of a top Iranian general mounted Sunday as Iran announced it will no longer abide by the limits contained in the 2015 nuclear deal and Iraq's Parliament called for the expulsion of all American troops from Iraqi soil

Donald Trump doubles down on threat to attack Iran's cultural sites, warns Iraq of levying punishing sanctions if US troops are expelled

President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that Iranian cultural sites were fair game for the US military, dismissing concerns within his own administration that doing so would constitute a war crime under international law

Qassem Soleimani death: Amid escalating tensions over US embassy attack, Donald Trump opted for extreme measure of killing Iranian general

In the chaotic days leading to the death of Major General Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s most powerful commander, top American military officials put the option of killing him — which they viewed as the most extreme response to recent Iranian-led violence in Iraq — on the menu they presented to President Donald Trump. They didn’t think he would take it.

‘USA wants no more threats’: Donald Trump says Washington will target 52 Iranian sites if Tehran retaliates over Qassem Soleimani's death

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Saturday, threatening to hit dozens of targets in the Islamic Republic 'very fast and very hard' if it retaliates for the targeted killing of the head of Iran's elite Quds Force

Twitterati makes #WWIII trend after US kills top Iranian commander Soleimani in airstrike on Baghdad international airport

The killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a US strike at Baghdad's international airport and Tehran's vow of revenge in response on Friday morning caused Twitterati, nervous about the possible outbreak of conflict between Washington and Tehran culminating in World War III, to do what they do best: post memes, pictures and videos on social media and get #WWIII trending.

US, Iran exchange military threats after killing of Qassem Soleimani; Democrats question timing of attack

The United States and Iran exchanged escalating military threats on Friday as President Donald Trump warned that he was “prepared to take whatever action is necessary” if Iran threatened Americans and Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to exact vengeance for the killing on Trump’s order of Iran’s most valued general

Donald Trump says aim of killing Qassem Soleimani was to 'stop a war', not start one; sends 3,000 more troops to West Asia

President Donald Trump said on Friday he ordered the killing of a top Iranian general “to stop a war,” not start one, but in the tense aftermath the Pentagon braced for retaliation by sending more troops to West Asia

Qassem Soleimani's assassination marks decisive moment in US-Iran confrontation, will have global repercussions

The death of that one man marks a moment of decisive confrontation between the United States and Iran, with enormous consequences for the region, and the world beyond.