Interpol rejects Iran request to assist in Trump arrest warrant

Interpol has said it wouldn't consider Iran's request in detaining the US president, meaning Donald Trump faces no danger of arrest. 

Iran had earlier issued an arrest warrant for the US president and dozens of others it believes carried out the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad. Iran asked Interpol for help in detaining  Trump and others, a local prosecutor reportedly said on Monday.

Interpol issued a statement saying its guidelines for notices forbids it from “any intervention or activities of a political” nature.

Interpol “would not consider requests of this nature,” it said.

The charges underscore the heightened tensions between Iran and the United States since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.

Trump and more than 30 others whom Iran accuses of involvement in the January 3 strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad face “murder and terrorism charges," state-run IRNA news agency cited Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr.

Alqasimehr did not identify anyone else sought other than Trump but stressed that Iran would continue to pursue his prosecution even after his presidency ends.

READ MORE: Was the Soleimani assassination a victory for Trump?

How does Interpol issue a red notice?

Alqasimehr also was quoted as saying that Iran requested a “red notice” be put out for Trump and the others, which represents the highest level arrest request issued by Interpol. 

Local authorities end up making the arrests on behalf of the country that requests it.

The notices cannot force countries to arrest or extradite suspects but can put government leaders on the spot and limit suspects’ travel.

After receiving a request, Interpol meets by committee and discusses whether or not to share the information with its member states. Interpol has no requirement for making any of the notices public, though some do get published on its website.

The US killed Soleimani, who oversaw the Revolutionary Guard's expeditionary Quds Force, and others in the January strike near Baghdad International Airport. It came after months of incidents raising tensions between the two countries and ultimately saw Iran retaliate with a ballistic missile strike targeting American troops in Iraq.

READ MORE: Donald Trump miscalculated the fallout of Soleimani's assassination