Jeremy Corbyn refuses to call Qasem Soleimani a terrorist

Corbyn described the assassination to Sky News as “a provocative act, which has made the whole world a much more dangerous place.”

Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts after the General Election results of the Islington North constituency were announced (photo credit: REUTERS / HANNAH MCKAY)
Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts after the General Election results of the Islington North constituency were announced
(photo credit: REUTERS / HANNAH MCKAY)
In an interview with Sky News, when asked if he considered IRGC Quds force commander Qasem Soleimani to be a terrorist MP Jeremy Corbyn refused to answer.
He shook his head at the question and said “Soleimani is the head of special forces of Iran. They, obviously, are operating in all kinds of places that you and I would not agree with or want, that is not the point.”

Corbyn described the assassination to Sky News as “a provocative act, which has made the whole world a much more dangerous place.”
Speaking to Sky News, Corbyn insisted that whether Soleimani was a terrorist or not was “not the point” and that instead, one should focus on the fact that  the assassination was “an illegal act that took place” and “if we want to end illegal acts by anybody, you don’t commit them yourself.”
When asked if he agreed with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s stating that Soleimani was a terrorist, Corbyn began to criticize Johnson for making the statement in a cabinet meeting rather than in Parliament. He added that “[Johnson is] the prime minister of this country. He has to be held to account for what his government says and does. He has to be held account for his own actions by coming to our parliament to answer questions.”
“All I’m saying is to assassinate an official of a foreign government in a third country, in this case Iraq, is illegal under any law and the US, if it wants the world to stand by international law, must stand by international law itself,” Corbyn told Sky news.
While acknowledging that he did not know the precise nature of Soleimani’s visit to Iraq, Corbyn said that “he was in Iraq for reasons of contact, I assume, with Iraqi government.”
On Monday Liberal Democrat acting leader MP Ed Davey and the former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt debated the issue on Good Morning Britain.
While Dannatt stated that Soleimani was the leader of a terrorist organization, Davey refused to do so.

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