Do is allowed into parliament after a standoff with security who tried to block. Womens activists slammed the cypriot Justice System after a british teenager is given a suspended sentence for making false accusations of rape. And incest for african gets ready to celebrate its best footballers and all 3 nominees for the continents footballer of the year award star in the English Premier League. Its been another day of dramatic developments in iran where the burial of the top iranian commander assassinated in the u. S. Airstrike on friday has been postponed for at least 50 people were killed in a stamp a stampede during his funeral procession huge crowds that packed custom salaam on his hometown of command and the congestion in the streets led to a crush of people its not clear when the burial will happen now in the capital tehran the parliament passed. A bill designating the u. S. Army and the pentagon as terrorist organizations its also boosted the budget for the elite could force that sort of money commanded foreign minister java serif has told aljazeera that the days of the us in the region are numbers. Iran would respond because it was an act of war. Act it will combine with an act of terrorism against a senior official. And a citizen we dont want to protect our citizens. But United States. Defeating so many people so you dont so you know that will have consequences for the United States and i believe the most important culture question is at the days of the United States in this region im not. The Foreign Ministers of britain france germany and italy a meeting in brussels to discuss the fallout from saudis killing theyre calling for restraint at the escalation. Lets go live to 0. For a store so talk us through what happened come on today. Well really a body of the late general was being taken through the streets of his hometown to be buried and around midday there was apparently a large volume of crowd there was a stampede and over 50 people have been killed the new over 200 injured weve heard from the head of the countrys Emergency Forces who said that they are still trying to deal with the crowds and to clear out the streets and deal with the number of casualties and injured in the care mon which is in central iran this is a small city in cameron province that is home to about 820000 people they were really not equipped with the number of mourners that turned out to attend the Burial Service of the lake awesome seller money we know that the burial itself has been delayed until the crowds have been cleared out of the city so they can bury the general in some less. Volume of crowds and sit situation we also know that the victims have come. From across the country the president Hassan Rouhani has expressed his condolences to the families of those that have been killed and we know that a number of them have come from this Southern City. As well so the mourners that gathered today in caravan were not just from that city and province alone but from all over the country really there in tehran part of it as we said designate to the u. S. Army the pentagon terrorist organizations. Has been speaking it looks like he has been denied a visa to enter the United States to go to the United Nations later this week. But were going to take you live to the state department in washington where secretary of state peo is giving a Media Briefing lets listen in a family and express my condolences to him his service to america was noble as a member of congress should Work Together on prolife issues during my time in congress. So you lots of you have questions about the middle east and iraq ill certainly take some questions today but 1st to i want to offer my condolences to the people of australia. For the tragic loss of life and property caused by the devastating wildfires across that region americas thoughts and prayers are with the victims their families and Emergency Service personnel putting themselves in harms way and same goes to for the dozens of us far fighting personnel who are standing side by side with our strong and friends fighting the flames together as i said when i was in sydney just this past summer we have a truly Unbreakable Alliance theyre great friends and were happy to be able to help aussies in this time of need. Staying in asia. We go to the appointment. As the new head of the Hong Kong ChineseCentral GovernmentLiaison Office hes expressed hopes that hong kong will return to the quote right path and of quote. The right path as ive said before just for the Chinese Communist party to honor its commitments made to hong kong in the center of british joint declaration. Well that the United Nations commitment that guarantees the territories independent rule of law and freedoms that the chinese living on the mainland unfortunately do not enjoy. That states will continue to work with hong kong and the Chinese CommunistParty Officials to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in hong kong and to promote hong kongs high degree of autonomy. In afghanistan. Theres an aspect of that conflict that deserves more attention and that is the Islamic Republic irans involvement there. Iran has refused to join the regional and International Consensus for peace and is in fact today actively working to undermine the Peace Process by continuing its long global efforts to support militant groups there. Most people know about irans proxy networks in the arab world but the regime also has a relationship with the taleban and related groups such as the commies the tora bora and the. Group the talibans entanglement in irans dirty work will only harm the afghanistan Peace Process. A couple items here in the hemisphere and as well i want to thank and congratulate one goto on israel action as the president as well and thats a legitimate reelection by a quorum of 100 deputies of your regimes campaign of arrests and limitation bribery could not derail venezuelan democracy nor could it use of military forces to physically bar the National Assembly from accessing the Parliament Building i applaud how venezuelas Political Parties came together to support those reelection the United States will continue to support for the guy though in the venezuelan people and we will continue to rally all other freedom loving nations across the globe to do that same thing we support the bad as well in people because we believe the western hemisphere should be a hemisphere with freedom everywhere else want to highlight the work of the oas which has been instrumental tool in moving the region in that direction its an example of truly outstanding effective multilateralism the secretary general. Is the leader we need for the oas to continue proactively addressing the central challenges facing the region modern democracy upholding human rights advancing security and fostering Economic Development throughout it have more to say about the oas in the multi a lot of reform in the coming weeks. On the theme of basic freedoms i want to commend members of bahrains council of representatives for their january 2nd statement in which they expressed deep concern over the inhumane and painful conditions to which we are muslims in china are subjected to. Bahrain is recognizing what ive been saying for months the Chinese Communist party is committing mass Human Rights Violations and abuses against weekers ethnic cossacks care gays and other muslims held in detention. Were happy with the brain did and we ask all countries particularly those belonging to the organization of islamic cooperation and the arab league to denounce the Chinese Communist partys brutal treatment of leaders which is part of the partys broader war on faith. Moving to europe. As many of you know Prime Minister mr talkies is in town this week im looking forward to welcoming in peril be with him today at the white house alongside president. I also want an ounce that our undersecretary for Political Affairs david hale will be traveling to brussels later this week well have conversations with 28 european counterparts this is a recurring meeting that happens about every 6 months at this particular gathering is important because it immediately proceeds an e. U. Foreign ministerial on iran that has just been scheduled and it shows to once again our close cooperation with our European Partners on issues of mutual concern im sure volved davids there the issue of iran and iraq will feature probably in their conversations and theyll have an opportunity also to discuss parties such as syria north korea and china as well finally one more person no matter i want to think about that or john bass who ive come to know in my time in service both as the director of the Central Intelligence agent now as secretary of state his 2 year tour of service in kabul was remarkable thats one of our most Important Missions ambassador bass is a respected strategic thinker a man of incredible integrity hes helped that country move forward to a brighter more peaceful and more secure future for all the Afghan People and i too want to welcome our new 11 ambassadors into about at large who were confirmed since the end of november including about your soul and hope be heading off to russia before too long glad theyre finally getting out to the field we hope to have more follow them up there with that im happy to pay. If you question. Thank you happy new year mr certain job at you know honor of the new year i have exactly 2020 questions ask you but ill pay them down for the sake of brevity thank resident one is there continue to be questions about the nature of the intelligence that led to the strike on the killed. Can you be at all more specific if you know how imminent this was what exactly it was secondly why not allow foreign minister zarif to come to the un to speak at the Security Council and then lastly did the situation in iran have anything contributed all to your decision not to run for the senate in kansas thank you last words easy. I said the same thing yesterday that i said for months no no real news there said im going to stay serving secretary of state so long as President Trump shall happen so. I have to fight you can accuse me of being inconsistent thats wise but not on that one. Second. You know we dont comment on visa matters those traveling here to the United States and bases so i cant add much more to this issue of foreign minister zarif travel to the United States ill say only this we will always comply with our obligations under the u. N. Requirements and the headquarters agreement and we will do so in this particular instance and more broadly every day and finally i think theres been much made about this question of intelligence and evidence i answered it potable times on sunday im happy to walk through it again any time a president makes a decision of this magnitude there are multiple pieces of information that come before us we presented that to him in all its broad detail we gave him all the best information that came not only from the Intelligence Community but for those of us who have teams in the field. We evaluated the relevant risks and the opportunity that we thought might present itself at some point and we could see clearly that not only had so many done all of the things that we have recounted right now hundreds of thousands of massacre in syria enormous destruction of countries like lebanon and iraq where theyve denied them sovereignty in the rains have really denied people in those 2 countries what it is they want right sovereignty independence and freedom is what this is all these and you work and then would watch as he was continuing the Terror Campaign in the region we know what happened at the end of last year in december or to move into the death of an american so if youre looking for evidence you need look no further than the days that led up to the strike that was taken against. And then you and dishing to that have what we could clearly see were continuing efforts on behalf of this terrorist to build out a network of Campaign Activities that were going to lead potentially to the death of many more americans the right decision we got it right the department instead excellent work and the president had a entirely legal appropriate and a basis as well as a decision that fit perfectly within our strategy and how to counter the threat of malign activity from iran more broadly here. Yes maam. 2 questions if you dont mind irans Foreign Affairs minister zarif granted an interview saying that somani was on a diplomatic visit to iraq that the u. S. Strike to take him out was state terrorism that President Trump is prepared to commit more crimes and that iranians are enraged 1st thats the 1st question id like your reaction to that 2nd question President Trump has indicated that irans cultural sites could be targeted is that true are they on the target list and if so do you consider that a war. So lets see. If statement. His 1st statement that is still the money was traveling to baghdad on a Diplomatic Mission anybody here believe that. Is there any history that would indicate that it was remotely possible that this kind gentleman this diplomat of great order because im still the mahdi had traveled to baghdad for the idea of conducting a Peace Mission i think maybe reporters like this morning thats fantastic. We know that wasnt true we not only know the history we know in that moment that was not true serif is a propagandist of the 1st order and most of what you suggested in his text message or email or message that you laid out there was indeed a rainy and propaganda its not new weve heard the same lies before its fundamentally false he was not there on a Diplomatic Mission trying to resolve a problem i know theres been some story that he was there representing the saudi peace deal ive spoken to my saudi counterparts at great length ill leave to them what they contents of their messages may be but i can assure you that they will share my view that he was not there representing some kind of agreement that was going to reduce risk or reduce the risk to the lives of americans when he was on that trip. Your last piece was about cultural sites. I said on sunday i will reiterate again every target thats being reviewed every effort thats being made will always be conducted inside the International Laws have seen it ive worked on these this project and im very confident of that if you think. This is. Its an Election Year and were now facing 2 Nuclear Related crises. With the with that with iran and north korea are you optimistic about resolving either of those without. Blowing up and so to speak to you know pitching moment and only around irans breakout time when you came into office was considered to be about a year. Is it now long or short a leap to the Intelligence Team to talk about the details of irans breakout time for the moment but present could not be more clear on our watch iran will not get a Nuclear Weapon and as we came into office iran was on a pathway that in provided by the nuclear deal which clearly gave them the opportunity to have those Nuclear Weapons we wont let that happen. As for the 1st question which was more broadly what President Trump laid out his National Security strategy with respect to both north korea and iran is the plan that we have executed the strategy that we have executed for this past 3 years we have put iran in a place that it has never been before where theyve had to make some very difficult choices choices about how to pay for and underwrite their proxy militias around the region whether and how to build out their Missile Program this is a flip from where we were 8 years before its not political proves to ministration made a different choice they chose to underwrite a piece we have chosen to confront and contain those are those are different strategies we believe ours is successful and we ultimately believe it will be successful making iran behave like a normal nation would deny them the capacity to build out their Nuclear Program and threaten not only americans and our allies to keep americans safe which is ou