US Secretary of Defense: We do not expect new Iranian attacks

(Patria) - US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated that the US no longer expects attacks from Iran in response to the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Iraq.

The Pentagon chief assessed that the Iranian government is facing an internal threat after shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane near Tehran with 176 passengers and crew members.

"You see the Iranian people rising up and demanding their rights, wanting a better government, a different regime," Esper said. 

Protests were held in Iran after the authorities admitted to mistakenly shooting down the plane. 

Esper said he assumes it was an accident and added that the administration of US President Donald Trump is still ready to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iranian authorities.