FILE PHOTO: Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is seen at Downing Street in London, Britain, January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville
January 7, 2020
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Tuesday called for calm after the United States killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and said a war with Iran would only benefit Islamist militants across the Middle East.
“What we’re looking to do is to de-escalate the tensions with Iran and make sure in relation to Iraq that we don’t lose the hard won gains that we secured against Daesh,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
“We are concerned that if we see a full blown war it would be very damaging and actually the terrorists, in particular Daesh (Islamic State), would be the only winners.”
“We’re working with our U.S. partners, our EU partners, that is why I’m traveling out to Brussels today, to make sure we send a very clear and consistent message on the need for de-escalation and to find a diplomatic route though.”
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)
