Jan 15, 2020 - World

Iran's president says European soldiers in Middle East "could be in danger"

Axios

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Iranian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Iran's president warned today that European soldiers in the Middle East "could be in danger" after three nations — Britain, France and Germany — challenged Tehran over breaking the limits of its nuclear deal, the AP reports.

Why it matters: President Hassan Rouhani's remarks in a televised Cabinet meeting represent the first direct threat he's made to Europe.

Tehran's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, acknowledged that Iranians "were lied to" after the shootdown of a Ukrainian jet:

"In the last few nights, we’ve had people in the streets of Tehran demonstrating against the fact that they were lied to for a couple of days."
But he blamed U.S. "ignorance" and "arrogance" for "fueling mayhem" in the Middle East.

Go deeper:

European leaders trigger dispute action in Iran deal
Arrests announced over Iran plane downing as protests continue
What we know: Ukrainian Boeing 737 crashes in Tehran

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Iran's president says European soldiers in Middle East "could be in danger"

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