Trump and Iran are sparking fears of a war that would likely be devastating to both sides

Sergei Chirikov/Pool via REUTERS; GOL/Capital Pictures/MediaPunch/AP

• The US could be near the brink of war with Iran again after months of rising tensions. 
• The Pentagon on Thursday announced the US had killed a top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani. 
• Iran's top diplomat described Soleimani's death as an act of "international terrorism" by the US.
• A war with Iran would likely be geopolitically and economically disastrous while further destabilizing a region that has been consumed by conflict for years.  
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Tensions between the US and Iran have reached historic heights in recent months, prompting fears of a military confrontation that could escalate into all-out war.

Here's a breakdown of what's going on, how we got here, and what the stakes are. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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See Also:

• Here's what's in the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that Trump withdrew from, leading to increased tensions
• Angry protesters swarming the US embassy in Baghdad caps off Trump's disastrous year in the Middle East
• The life of Donald Trump Jr., who once lived out of a truck, didn't speak to his father for a year, and made waves on a book tour with his girlfriend

SEE ALSO: Democrats are raising alarms about Trump 'inching' toward war with Iran, but experts are torn over what happens next

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