EGP nudges higher vs. USD in early Thursday trading    Global electricity demand to surge through 2026 – IEA    Japan's c. bank holds key interest rate    Egypt, US FMs discuss Gaza crisis, Nile water security    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Trump sends 1,500 troops to Middle East amid tensions with Iran
Both Trump, Pentagon stress they were not seeking to engage in military conflict with Iran
Published in Daily News Egypt on 25 - 05 - 2019

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would send some 1,500 soldiers to the Middle East as “protection” amidst a rise in tensions with Iran. At the same time, he downplayed the suggestion of a military conflict.
“We want to have protection in the Middle East,” he said. “We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective."
“Right now, I don't think Iran wants to fight. And I certainly don't think they want to fight with us,” Trump said, adding, “but they cannot have nuclear weapons.”
Rhetoric between Tehran and Washington has become increasingly hostile since Trump imposed new sanctions on Iran in the past few weeks, with the aim of forcing Iran to renegotiate the 2015 nuclear deal which the president pulled the US out of.
Earlier this month, the US moved bombers, Patriot missiles, and a carrier strike group to its Middle East bases.
The Pentagon said the troop movement was in response to several incidents it believes were caused by the Iranian government. This includes a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone, four oil tankers that were sabotaged with explosives in the Gulf, and a drone attack on a Saudi oil installation.
“We view this as a campaign,” said Vice Admiral Michael Gilday, director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff.
“We think that through a combination of a very measured deployment of assets as well as public messaging, we are again trying to underscore that we are not seeking hostilities with Iran.”
A Russian legislator on Friday warned that Moscow might raise the topic of the US deployment at the next meeting of the UN Security Council.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published last Tuesday, 64% of Americans — including a large majority of Republicans — support the 2015 deal designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.
Amid the brewing tensions, 51% of respondents indicated that the US and Iran would go to war within the next few years, up 8 percentage points from a poll last June.
Nearly half — 49% — of all Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling relations with Iran, the poll found, with 31% saying they strongly disapprove. Overall, 39% approve of Trump's policy.
At the same time, 54% of Americans view Iran as a “serious” or “imminent” threat.
Iran responded on Monday with defiance. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet that Trump would fail to destroy the country, just as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan had in the past.
In another tweet, Zarif said what he called the “B Team” — a group of anti-Iran hard-liners that includes US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman — was empowering the very military-industrial complex that Trump claims to oppose.
Tehran has also downplayed the threat of open conflict with the US, with Zarif saying Saturday that Tehran was not seeking armed escalation with the US or its regional allies.
“We are certain,” Zarif said. “There will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion that they can confront Iran in the region.”
However, a commander of Iran's elite military organization, the Revolutionary Guard, offered a different message on Sunday.
US soldiers would be “easy to defeat,” said Commander Hossein Salami in a statement.


Clic here to read the story from its source.