President Trump on Tuesday warned Iran that it faces “obliteration” if Tehran attacks “anything American.”
Trump also said on Twitter that Iran’s top leaders “don’t understand the words ‘nice’ or ‘compassion'” and they best not mess with America’s military.
“Iran leadership doesn’t understand the words ‘nice’ or ‘compassion,’ they never have,” Trump wrote in the first of three tweets. “Sadly, the thing they do understand is Strength and Power, and the USA is by far the most powerful Military Force in the world, with 1.5 Trillion Dollars invested over the last two years alone…” he wrote.
Iran leadership doesn’t understand the words “nice” or “compassion,” they never have. Sadly, the thing they do understand is Strength and Power, and the USA is by far the most powerful Military Force in the world, with 1.5 Trillion Dollars invested over the last two years alone..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2019
Trump also said: “The wonderful Iranian people are suffering, and for no reason at all. Their leadership spends all of its money on Terror, and little on anything else. The U.S. has not forgotten Iran’s use of IED’s & EFP’s (bombs), which killed 2000 Americans, and wounded many more.”
….The wonderful Iranian people are suffering, and for no reason at all. Their leadership spends all of its money on Terror, and little on anything else. The U.S. has not forgotten Iran’s use of IED’s & EFP’s (bombs), which killed 2000 Americans, and wounded many more…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2019
Finally, Trump finished up with a clear threat.
“Iran’s very ignorant and insulting statement, put out today, only shows that they do not understand reality. Any attack by Iran on anything American will be met with great and overwhelming force. In some areas, overwhelming will mean obliteration. No more John Kerry & Obama!” Trump wrote.
….Iran’s very ignorant and insulting statement, put out today, only shows that they do not understand reality. Any attack by Iran on anything American will be met with great and overwhelming force. In some areas, overwhelming will mean obliteration. No more John Kerry & Obama!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2019
Trump was reacting to comments made earlier on Tuesday by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who dismissed new U.S. sanctions on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as “outrageous and idiotic” and described the Trump White House as “mentally retarded.” In a speech broadcast live on Iranian state television, Rouhani said sanctions against Khamenei would have no effect because he doesn’t have assets abroad.
“The White House actions mean it is mentally retarded,” Rouhani said, adding that Tehran’s “strategic patience doesn’t mean we have fear.”
Trump on Monday slapped Iran by issuing new “hard-hitting” financial sanctions against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his associates in Iran.
“Today’s action follows a series of aggressive behaviors by the Iranian regime in recent weeks including shooting down a U.S. drone,” the president said in the Oval Office, calling Khamenei “responsible for the hostile conduct of the regime.”
Less than a week after Iran shot down a $180 million drone — which Iranian officials claim was flying over Iranian airspace — the Treasury Department said “any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction for entities designated under this Executive Order could be cut off from the U.S. financial system.”
In the Oval Office, Trump said the sanctions “will deny the supreme leader and the supreme leader’s office and those closely affiliated with him and the office access to key financial resources and support. The assets of Ayatollah Khomeini will not be spared from the sanctions.” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said the sanctions “lock up literally billions of dollars more of assets.”
After Iran shot down the U.S. drone, the U.S. military retaliated with a cyber attack against the nation. Then last Thursday, Trump moved forward with planned airstrikes, then called the attack off at the last minute. “I stopped it, not … proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
But Trump said he’s showing “restraint” with the new sanctions.
“We will continue to increase pressure on Tehran until the regime abandons its dangerous activities and its aspirations including the pursuit of nuclear weapons, increased enrichment of uranium, development of ballistic missiles, engagement in and support for terrorism, fueling of foreign conflicts, and belligerent acts directed against the United States and its allies,” Trump said. ““Never can Iran have a nuclear weapon. We do not seek conflict with Iran or any other country. I think a lot of restraint has been shown by us, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future.”
