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This red flag is often unfurled above this mosque and in the rest of the Shia Muslim world

Iran and US tensions are at an all-time high following the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by Washington in an airstrike. Global leaders have begun assessing the magnitude of the situation with many holding fears of World War 3 and destabilisation of the Middle East. Amid the fallout, a red flag was raised over the Holy Dome of Jamkarān Mosque. The flag reads the words: "Those who want to avenge the blood of Hussein." It can also be translated to mean: "O ye avengers of Hussein."


Iran unveils red flag at Mosque warning of severe battle to come

Historically, the raising of the red flag over a mosque also takes place during the Islamic month of Muharram, which ends on September 29. However, as the hojatoleslam Yassine Hossein Abadi from the Jamkaran Mosque confirmed, on this occasion, the flag was risen as calling for the revenge of Solemani's assassination. He told AFP: "Due to the martyrdom of general Qassem Soleimani and his comrades, and after hearing the supreme leader calling for a harsh revenge, we unfurled this flag so that all Shia believers in the world and all the freedom fighters gather around this flag to avenge Qassem Soleimani’s blood unjustly shed." The raising of the flag came after the leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Sayyed, on Friday vowed “severe revenge” in response to the killing of Soleimani. Iranian official including the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the Islamic Republic will take revenge for the commander and others killed. The airstrike occurred early on Friday at Baghdad international airport and killed the Iranian commander in well as other Iraqi commanders. International relation scholars have argued that this could see further escalation and ultimately all-out war. DON'T MISS: World war 3: Trump issued dire warning on swift Iran retaliation

Despite growing concern from world leaders Donald Trump has argued the attack against the general is more likely to have prevented World War 3 than caused it. President Trump added the US killing of Iran's top military chief General Qassem Soleimani "should have been done a long time ago". The US president said: "We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war." Mr Trump said the US was not seeking regime change in Iran, but claimed the world was a safer place without "monsters" such as Gen Soleimani.


Mr Trump said the Iranian general was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" and added: "We caught him in the act and terminated him

"If Americans anywhere are threatened we have all of those targets fully identified and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary, and that particularly refers to Iran." Mr Trump said the Iranian general was plotting "imminent and sinister attacks" and added: "We caught him in the act and terminated him." However, despite the President's insistence that his actions were done to stop a war, fears of a global conflict have exploded. US citizens in Iraq have been told to leave the country immediately in the wake of the airstrike. Professor of International Relations at LSE Fawaz Gerges argued that President Trump is not ready for the retaliation of Iran. READ MORE: Westerners told to flee United Arab Emirates after attack on Iran [INSIGHT]

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International relations LSE professor Fawaz Gerges argued that Trump's attack on Iran was unwise

While on BBC he added that the attack was “not a wise decision at all” and may lead to further escalation in the region. Mr Gerges said: “Imagine a scenario where Iran retaliates against American forces. “There are tens of thousands of American forces in the middle east and more are coming in the next few days. “You have military bases in Kuwait, Qatar, you have military ships.