Iran has denied being involved in a drone strike on Jordan after Joe Biden blamed the country for the deaths of three US service personnel.
The US president said the drone attack, responsible for the first combat deaths of US troops in more than three years, was carried out by “radical Iran-backed militant groups” and vowed to retaliate.
A further 25 US service personnel were injured after a suicide drone – designed to fly to a target and then explode – detonated at a military base in northern Jordan, near the Syrian border, on Saturday night. The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) claimed credit for the attack.
In a statement on Monday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said that Tehran was not involved in the attack that killed the US service members.
The mission said: “Iran had no connection and had nothing to do with the attack on the US base.”
It added: “There is a conflict between US forces and resistance groups in the region, which reciprocate retaliatory attacks.”
Mr Biden earlier vowed to respond to the attacks with military force, and Pentagon sources did not rule out retaliatory strikes against Iran, which would bring the US into direct conflict with the country’s military for the first time since Israel invaded Gaza.
Mr Biden said: “The three American service members we lost were patriots in the highest sense, and their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation.
“Together, we will keep the sacred obligation we bear to their families. We will strive to be worthy of their honour and valour.
“We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism, and have no doubt – we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
On Sunday night Lord Cameron, the UK’s foreign secretary, said: “We strongly condemn attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups against US forces.
“We continue to urge Iran to de-escalate in the region. Our thoughts are with those US personnel who have lost their lives and all those who have sustained injuries, as well as their families.”
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
