This archive report was first published on 5 January 2020.
On January 3, 2020, the killing of General Qasem Soleimani by the US sparked tensions in the Middle East, with European leaders expressing concerns about the safety of their citizens in the region.
According to a Downing Street spokeswoman, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to discuss the issues with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and US President Donald Trump in the next few days.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo complained that the response by European allies had not been 'helpful,' saying in an interview with Fox News: 'Frankly, the Europeans haven’t been as helpful as I wish that they could be. The Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well.'
However, British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab defended the US action, saying that any country had a right to defend itself. He also stated that he did not agree that the killing was an act of war and described General Suleimani as a 'regional menace.'
European leaders are trying to persuade Iran to keep to the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the US pulled out of in May 2018. Iran has since slowly abandoned its adherence to parts of the deal.
