(Newswire.net— June 30, 2020) — Iran has issued an arrest warrant for US President Donald Trump and 35 other people on the suspicion of being involved in the attack on the Iranian general in Baghdad, said the prosecutor in Tehran, Ali Alkasimer, CNN reports.
Iran has asked Interpol for help in arresting the suspects, but the International Police agency has the right to refuse.
Although the American president is not in danger of being arrested, the accusation has increased the tension between Iran and the United States.
The prosecutor said that Trump and the other suspects are charged with involvement in an attack in which General Qasem Soleimani was killed on January 3 in Baghdad.
They are accused of murder and terrorism, Ali Alkasime said, the ISNA agency reported.
The identities of all of the accused have not been stated, except for the American president, and the prosecutor said that Tehran will continue to prosecute him even after the expiration of the presidential mandate.
General Soleimani, the deputy commander of the Iraqi militias supported by Iran, was killed along with five other people in the American drone attack near the Baghdad airport.
Iran has retaliated with a ballistic missile attack on the US military base in Iraq.
Interpol refused to consider the request of Iran, however, as the AP points out, the accusations point to increased tensions between Iran and the United States, which have lasted since Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the world powers.
The prosecutor did not state the names of the other accused, but he emphasized that Iran will continue to prosecute Trump even after his presidential term expires.
The White House has not yet responded to the Iranian announcement. CNBC adds, however, it is highly unlikely that Interpol will comply with Iran‘s request, as it will not be able to intervene in matters of a political nature under its guidelines.