Threats to Iran spike ‘volatility,’ says UN official

A senior UN official warned on Thursday that threats of military action against Iran, like those made by US President Donald Trump, increased “volatility” in the protest-torn country.Iran was shaken over the last week by some of the biggest anti-government protests in the history of the Islamic republic, although the demonstrations appear to have diminished in the face of repression and a week-long internet blackout. For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Until Wednesday, the United States was threatening military action against Iran should it carry out the death penalty against people arrested over the protests -- and Washington’s envoy to the UN said Thursday all options were still “on the table.”“We note with alarm various public statements suggesting possible military strikes on Iran. This external dimension adds volatility to an already combustible situation,” UN Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee told the UN Security Council.“All