The head of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) faction in the Bundestag, Rolf Mutzenich, in an interview with Hannoversche Allgemeine condemned the killing by the US military of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Kassem Suleimani in Baghdad.

“International law was violated, and our understanding of the use of state power, which is based on and limited by law and democracy, has also suffered,” he said.

Mutzenich noted that these principles should not be neglected even if Suleymani, according to him, is responsible for the deaths of civilians and the destruction of entire areas.

“The targeted killing of civilians and government representatives who are not directly involved in the hostilities or from which there is no direct threat to others does not comply with the law and does not constitute a legitimate means,” he emphasized.

Mutzenich also noted the need to ensure the security of the specialists of the Bundeswehr who are participating in the mission to train the Iraqi forces, urging the Minister of Defense of Germany Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to analyze the situation with her in Iraq.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “an arrogant clown” in response to his statement about the alleged joy of the Iraqi people in the murder in Baghdad of Iranian general Kassem Suleimani.

Suleymani died in a U.S. missile attack on the night of January 3 near Baghdad Airport.