“The United States will hold the regime in Tehran accountable for any attack that results in injury to our personnel or damage to the United States government facilities. The kind of strike Bolton was looking for would have quickly escalated into a broad Middle East conflict. It could have prompted Iraq to order the United States to leave the country, tilting that Arab state further in the direction of Iran. The United States may succeed in destroying Iran’s military hardware and many of its defence facilities. Challenged by the United States, Beijing is likely to side with Iran.

Source: The Express Tribune January 21, 2019 04:07 UTC