U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday distanced himself from President Donald Trump's threats to target Iranian cultural sites, warning it would breach international law.
"There are international conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural heritage," a spokesperson for Johnson said, per Business Insider.
When asked whether the destruction of cultural sites was a war crime, the spokesperson referenced the 1954 Hague Convention: "Well, as I say, you can read the international conventions for themselves. It is the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict."
Trump on Monday repeated his threat to target Iranian sites after Tehran threatened retaliation for last week's targeted killing in Baghdad, Iraq of military leader Qassem Soleimani.
"They're allowed to kill our people – they're allowed to torture and maim our people?" Trump asked reporters. "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.
Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are pushing for "all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility."
"The current cycle of violence in Iraq must be stopped," they said in a statement issued Sunday.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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