Connect with us

International

U.S Defence Secretary condemns Trumps threat to target Iranian cultural sites

Published

on

Trump insists Iran behind attack of Saudi oil facilities, but wants to avoid war

At odds with President Donald Trump, the United States Defence Secretary says US will not violate laws of armed conflict by striking cultural sites.

Mr Mark Esper, on Monday contradicted President Trump by saying the country’s military had no plans to bomb Iranian cultural sites amid threats of retaliation from Tehran over the US assassination of its top military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

He said the US military will “follow the laws of armed conflict”which categorically ruled out attacks on cultural sites.

In a tweet that sparked international outcry, Trump first raised the prospect of attacking cultural sites on Saturday and reiterated that view to reporters the next day.

His Twitter message caught administration officials off-guard and prompted immediate condemnation from legal scholars, national security experts and Democrats. The president, however, stood by his threat on Sunday.

“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,” he told reporters.

“And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way.”

Read also: Uganda police arrest opposition leader seeking to unseat Museveni

While Iran, home to 22 UNESCO world heritage sites, has pledged “severe revenge” for the killing of Soleimani, including other pro-Iran leaders in the region, the UN’s cultural agency reminded the US and Iran that they had signed treaties committing not to harm cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict.

Attacking cultural sites with military action is considered a warcrime under international law, including a United Nations Security Council resolution supported by the Trump administration in 2017 and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property.

At a meeting with the Iranian ambassador to the Paris-based organisation, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said provisions of the 1954 and 1972 conventions, ratified by the US andIran, should be observed.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now