“Iran has deliberately refrained from killing Americans”
American and European sources have said that Iran deliberately avoided causing casualties among the US military in its missile attacks on US bases in Iraq. Reuters quoted Muqtada al-Sadr as saying that the crisis was over.
On Wednesday, January 8, Reuters news agency reported, citing US and European government officials, that Iran did not intend to kill American soldiers in response to the killing of Qassem Soleimani in a US airstrike.
Citing three sources "close to intelligence agencies," the news agency wrote that Iran has tried to cause minimal casualties in its missile attacks, and in particular, to avoid killing American soldiers.
"A source" close to US officials told Reuters that there were indications in the early hours of Wednesday that Iran's attacks on the Al-Asad and Erbil bases had not resulted in casualties. Other sources declined to comment.
Reuters further wrote, citing its sources, that Iran deliberately targeted parts of the bases where no human forces were present.
Another source for the news agency said that the Iranians wanted to respond but avoid escalating tensions.
Reuters further cited Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's statement that Iran would give an "appropriate response" to the killing of Soleimani but was not interested in starting a war.
Trump's reaction
Reuters news agency concluded its report by noting the reaction of the US President, who was very calm. He tweeted that "everything" was in order.
On Wednesday afternoon, during a public statement on Iran that was broadcast live on television, Trump confirmed that there were no casualties at the two Iraqi bases.
He further said that Iran is backing down in the tension with the United States.
The US president added: "Just because we have a great military and great military equipment doesn't mean we have to use it. We don't want to use it."
Trump, while announcing that he would impose more sanctions on Iran, called for cooperation with the Islamic Republic in areas that benefit the interests of both countries.
He emphasized that the United States is willing to make peace with all those who want peace.
“The crisis is over”
On Wednesday evening, Reuters quoted Iraqi Sadr Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr as saying that the crisis was over "after the positions taken by Tehran and the US president."
According to the news agency, Sadr called on the militias to be patient and not launch armed operations.
The Shiite cleric wrote in a message on the occasion of Soleimani's killing on January 4 that the targeting of Soleimani "by global arrogance" was an attack on "international jihad, opposition, and revolutionary spirit," "but they cannot disrupt our determination and our jihad."
The Shiite cleric had ordered armed groups, “especially the Mahdi Army and the Promised Day Brigades,” to be on alert.
Source: DW
