This flies directly in the face of claims by President Joe Biden, who said that “radical Iran-backed militant groups” were behind the attack. Several American politicians directly blamed Iran, while UK Foreign Minister David Cameron asked them to “de-escalate in the region.”
A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, insisted Iran was not involved, stating: “As we have clearly stated before, the resistance groups in the region are responding to war crimes and genocide… They do not take orders from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
He added: “These groups decide and act based on their own principles and priorities as well as the interests of their country and people.”
Iran’s mission to the United States supported this claim, saying in a statement that they had “no connection and nothing to do” with the strike.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has already claimed responsibility for the strike. The group is a loose coalition of militants who are against America’s support for Israel during its war in Gaza. However, it is believed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard helps the group coordinate its actions.
The Islamic Resistance said that they went after American personnel with drones across three sites in Syria.
The site of the attack was U.S. base Tower 22, which is situated in a strategic location in Jordan where it meets the borders of Syria and Iraq. Although not much is publicly known about its purpose, many believe it offers support for the al-Tanf garrison, which has been instrumental in fighting the Islamic State and helping to contain Iran’s military buildup in Syria. It is not known how many troops are stationed at Tower 22 or what types of weapons and defenses it has.
The Tower 22 attack marked the first deadly strike against American forces since the war between Israel and Hamas began last October. Although there have been previous attacks on American bases in the region, this is the first time one has resulted in the loss of American lives. The troops were reportedly in their sleeping quarters at the time the drone stuck.
U.S. continues to blame Iran
Despite Iran’s denials, the U.S. continues to pin the blame on them. In an interview with NBC, National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said: “We are not looking for a war with Iran. We are not looking to escalate the conflict in the region. Obviously, these attacks keep coming. We’ll keep looking at the options. I can’t speak for the Supreme Leader or what he wants or he doesn’t want. I can tell you what we want. What we want is a stable, secure, prosperous Middle East, and we want these attacks to stop.”
Militias supported by Iran have attacked American bases in Syria and Iraq more than 150 times, and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been fighting American forces in Yemen and the Red Sea.
President Biden has vowed to respond, saying: “We will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
Some Republican lawmakers are also pushing for retaliation, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) saying that we “must send a crystal clear message across the globe that attacks on our troops will not be tolerated.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said the world is waiting for a sign that the president “is finally prepared to exercise American strength to compel Iran to change its behavior.”
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