A threatened US attack on Iranian cultural sites, if carried out, could be a war crime

CNN — After an al-Qaeda affiliated group destroyed ancient religious monuments in Timbuktu, Mali, in 2012, the International Criminal Court took on a unique criminal case: prosecuting cultural destruction. Video Ad Feedback Khamenei's adviser: Iran response to US will be military 03:16 - Source: CNN Hossein Dehghan, the main military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, said Trump’s tweets are “ridiculous and absurd.” He told CNN that Iran’s response “will be military and against military sites.” If the United States does carry out Trump’s threat to strike any of Iran’s cultural sites, then “for sure no American military staff, no American political center, no American military base, no American vessel will be safe,” Dehghan said. “Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME” “Those masquerading as diplomats and those who shamelessly sat to identify Iranian cultural & civilian targets should not even bother to open a law dictionary,” he continued. Another official who formerly worked in both the Trump and Obama administrations told CNN: “As a matter of principle, we as a nation and as a military do not attack the culture sites of any adversary.” Additionally, several sources told CNN there are no indications – aside, perhaps, from Trump’s tweet – that the United States would actually strike cultural sites in Iran. “For what it’s worth, I find it hard to believe the Pentagon would provide Trump targeting options that include Iranian cultural sites,” he tweeted.