Nicola Sturgeon has accused President Donald Trump of handling the situation in Iran "recklessly" and urged the UK not to get involved in the conflict.
The First Minister echoed calls by Prime Minister Boris Johnson who called for all sides to work towards an urgent easing of tensions in the Persian Gulf.
The SNP leader tweeted: "It’s not necessary to have an iota of sympathy for the Iranian regime to believe that Trump has acted recklessly, without proper thought or strategy. The consequences could be grave and the UK mustn’t get dragged along in the slipstream"
Boris Johnson and his French and German counterparts, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel released a joint statement calling for de-escalation.
READ MORE: Donald Trump threatens Iranian cultural sites despite war crime concerns
This is exactly what must not happen. It’s not necessary to have an iota of sympathy for the Iranian regime to believe that Trump has acted recklessly, without proper thought or strategy. The consequences could be grave and the UK mustn’t get dragged along in the slipstream https://t.co/WxeuOHJ8mB
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 5, 2020
They expressed concern at the “negative” role Iran has played in the region – including through forces directed by General Qassem Soleimani, whose killing by the United States last Friday sparked the crisis – there was now “an urgent need for de-escalation”.
“We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped,” the joint statement, released late on Sunday night, said.
“We specifically call on Iran to refrain from further violent action or proliferation and urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal).
“We recall our attachment to the sovereignty and security of Iraq. Another crisis risks jeopardising years of efforts to stabilise Iraq.
“We also reaffirm our commitment to continue the fight against Daesh (Islamic State), which remains a high priority. The preservation of the Coalition is key in this regard. We therefore urge the Iraqi authorities to continue providing the Coalition all the necessary support.
“We stand ready to continue our engagement with all sides in order to contribute to defuse tensions and restore stability to the region.”
READ MORE: David Pratt: The disturbing implications of killing Soleimani
Around 400 UK troops are stationed in Iraq in the fight against IS, while the US has 5,200, prompting fears of a withdrawal that could cripple the battle against the terror group.
Yesterday, Iran announced it will no longer abide by the limits contained in the 2015 nuclear deal. Iranian state television cited a statement by President Hassan Rouhani’s administration saying the country would not observe the deal’s restrictions on fuel enrichment, on the size of its enriched uranium stockpile and on its research and development activities.
Despite the calls for calm by a number of political leaders, President Donald Trump insists Iranian cultural sites are fair game for the US military, dismissing concerns within his own administration that doing so could constitute a war crime under international law.
He also warned Iraq he would levy punishing sanctions if it expelled American troops in retaliation for a US airstrike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian official.
Mr Trump first raised the prospect of targeting Iranian cultural sites Saturday in a tweet. Speaking with reporters as he flew back to Washington from his holiday stay in Florida on Sunday he doubled down, despite international prohibitions.
“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way,” Trump said.
The killing of General Soleimani sparked outrage in the Middle East, including in Iraq, where more than 5,000 American troops are still on the ground 17 years after the US invasion.
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