Iran designates all U.S. forces, Pentagon as "terrorists"January 7, 2020 - 13:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday, January 7 designating all U.S. forces "terrorists"over the killing of a top Iranian military commander in a U.S. strike last week, the Mail Online says. Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a U.S. drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. Under the newly adopted bill, all U.S. forces and employees of the Pentagon and affiliated organisations, agents and commanders and those who ordered the 'martyrdom' of Soleimani were designated as terrorists. "Any aid to these forces, including military, intelligence, financial, technical, service or logistical, will be considered as co-operation in a terrorist act," the Iranian parliament said. Lawmakers also voted to bolster by £170million ($224 million) the coffers of the Quds Force - the foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards that was headed by Soleimani. The bill was an amended version of a law adopted in April last year that declared the United States a 'state sponsor of terrorism' and its forces in the region "terror groups". Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |