BORIS Johnson has warned Donald Trump any attempt to attack Iranian cultural sites would breach international law.
It came after the US assassinated Iranian military chief Qasem Soleimani without telling Britain first.
In a serious breach of protocol between key allies, the US president did not tell Boris Johnson about the Baghdad missile strike on the terror mastermind.
Now Mr Trump has vowed to take things further, repeating his threat to target Iranian cultural sites “very fast and very hard.”
He had said: “They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people.
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.
Now the Prime Minister has slapped down the US president, insisting any move to hit the sites would break the law.
A No10 spokesperson said today: “There are intentional conventions in place that prevent the destruction of cultural sites.
These international conventions include the 1954 Hague convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict.”
They added that the US is fully signed up to the Hague Convention, which governs the conduct of wars.
The former head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force, Soleimani was killed in a targeted drone strike as he left Baghdad Airport in a convoy with a number of other military officials.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani told Soleimanis daughter that Iran would avenge [her fathers] blood, and Sunday saw tens of thousands line the streets of the Iranian city of Ahvaz chanting Death to America.
Mr Johnson has been in constant contact with officials through the weekend, and his spokesman insisted steps were now being taken to protect British assets and personal.
They explained: “We urge them (Iraqis) to ensure we are able to continue our vital work (against Da’esh).
“We urge them to ensure we are able to continue to keep fighting this threat together.
“There is now an urgent need for de-escalation, which we have urged from all sides.”
The PM will is set to speak to the President of Iraq today, and later will chair a meeting of ministers including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill.
