The leader of the Senate Democratic Minority is worried that Trump will be dragged into a war with Iran
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Senior members of the Democratic Party of America [DDP] warned President Donald Trump of the dangers of being dragged into a war with Iran.
"The president may not intend to go to war, but we are concerned that he and the administration will be dragged into war," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Schumer stressed the need for an open debate in Congress and a decision on funding before embarking on any military operation.
Congressional leaders attended an emergency meeting hastily held at the White House to brief them on the incident in which a US drone was shot down by a drone.
President Trump said Iran had "made a big mistake" in dropping a US drone aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that it is likely that the downing of the plane as a result of human error, saying: "I find it difficult to believe it was a deliberate action."
Iran said the drone violated Iranian airspace, but the US military denied it.
Source image
Reuters
Schumer stressed the need for a congressional decision before any military operation
The incident comes amid growing tension between the two countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif said Iran would file a complaint to the United Nations that the United States was "encroaching on our territory."
"We do not seek war, but we will defend firmly our skies, our land and our water," he said on Twitter's social networking site.
Learn about the US spy plane that was dropped by Iran
Source image
Alex Wong / Getty Image
Trump said the drone was above international waters and was not in Iranian airspace
What did Trump say?
Speaking at the White House, the US president said the downing of the plane was a new bad point.
He added that it was "documented" that the drone was above international waters and was not in Iranian airspace.
"I think Iran has made a mistake, and I think he was a general or someone who made a mistake and shot it," he said.
"It is possible that he is a close and stupid person," he said.
Analysis by Jonathan Marks
Reporter of Defense Affairs
President Trump's comments that the Iranians dropped a US drone over the Gulf may have been a mistake, tends to confirm earlier reports from Washington that the White House is keen to ease tensions.
The Iranians have already tried to drop a smaller US drone earlier this week, both of which are a strong reminder of the risks of escalation, where US and Iranian forces are working nearby.
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards had earlier described the incident as a clear warning to Washington.
But Trump seems to be betting that not everyone in Tehran will follow the same rules of play, and perhaps leave room for more moderate voices there, has the same American desire to ease the tension.
What other reactions?
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the war between the United States and Iran would be "a catastrophe with unpredictable consequences."
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Gutierrez, urged all parties to exercise the utmost restraint.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair told the BBC that his country was trying to send a message to Iran that its behavior was "unacceptable".
"No one wants to start a war, but we can not allow Iran to continue such hostile behavior, and the evidence of Iran's involvement is very strong. Iran has already threatened such action and today it has done what it threatened."
In the United States, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the United States had no desire to go to war with Iran, while Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee for the presidential election, described Trump's strategy in Iran as "catastrophic."
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