A spy network operating at Baghdad and Damascus airports and conveying information to the US intelligence services on the movements of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani has been suspected by Iraqi authorities, according to exclusive information from the Reuters agency. General Soleimani avoided using his private aircraft during his travels because he was increasingly concerned about his safety, according to a source from Iraqi security forces.
On January 3, he boarded a ChamWings Airbus A320, flying from Damascus to Baghdad, without being listed on the passenger list. A few hours later, as he was leaving Baghdad Airport, he was killed by rockets fired by an unmanned US military drone.
Soleymani’s murder has led to a dangerous escalation of tension between Washington and Tehran. Although the immediate threat of a US-Iranian war has declined following Tehran’s rather symbolic response to the Soleimani assassination and President Trump’s ensuing occupation, tensions remain high and the verbal threats of supreme Iranian officials continue.
Nevertheless, US Vice President Mike Pence appeared reassuring that his government “received encouraging information, whereby Tehran sent Messages “In the pro-Iranian militias located in Iraq, not to affect American targets.
The US president himself said he had contacted NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for a greater role for the Alliance in the Middle East. In fact, he suggested, between serious and funny, to rename the alliance to NATO + Middle East so that its name corresponds to its new role.
However, doing so would mean, in accordance with Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, that NATO members would be obliged to assist the United States every time they are engaged in a war in the Middle East.
Early this morning, The US House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution to remind President Donald Trump of the key role of Congress in any attack abroad, in an attempt to get muscle out of possible new “military actions” of the White House against Iran.
Weapons are silenced, but threats continue…