A Baghdad court has issued an arrest warrant against outgoing US President Donald Trump for last year's killing of Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis.
On Thursday, Iraq's Judiciary Council said the arrest warrant came after concluding an initial investigation.
The investigation will continue to identify other "accomplices in the crimes whether Iraqis or foreigners", it said.
The statement did not give details on how the Iraqi authorities will effect the arrest warrant.
Al Muhandis and Iranian general Qassem Suleimani were killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad's international airport on January 3, 2020.
The US accused Suleimani of organising attacks by Iranian-sponsored militias on American forces across the Middle East.
Suleimani headed the foreign operations arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, known as Al Quds Force, which is designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the US. Al Muhandis was the deputy head of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (known in Arabic as Al Hashed Al Shabi).
The duo had worked closely together.
Iran also issued an arrest warrant last year for Trump over the killing of Suleimani. The US dismissed the move at the time as a “joke".
Last week, a top adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi was threatened by Iran-sponsored militias over comments he made about Suleimani.
"Suleimani didn't think he just served as a co-coordinator with Iraq," Hisham Dawod told the BBC. "He actually believed himself responsible for Iraq. That is why he entered and left [the country] when he wanted."
The drone attack pushed Tehran and Washington perilously close to all-out conflict and sparked outrage among pro-Iran militias and political blocs. The Iraqi parliament also passed a non-binding resolution days later calling for the expulsion of all foreign troops from the country.
Earlier this week, US Special Envoy for Syria Joel D. Rayburn told The National that the absence of Suleimani has been a "big setback" for Iran.
Mr Rayburn said he is positive that there will be no tolerance anymore for the Revolutionary Guards and its overseas arm, Al Quds force to “wreak havoc in the region” or use its missiles against Syria’s regional neighbours.
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
