Saudi Arabia, UAE want to ‘fight Iran to the last American’, diplomat Javad Zarif says
- Trump will face the same fate as the six presidents before him who failed to impose their political will on Iran, a senior commander said
- Both sides have said they wish to avoid a full out war over the fraught situation in the Gulf region but have adopted tough postures
Zarif was responding to a statement a day earlier by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a visit to Abu Dhabi that: “While the foreign minister of Iran is threatening all out war and to fight to the last American, we’re here to build up a coalition aimed at achieving peace.”
Zarif tweeted on Friday: “@SecPompeo has it the other way around: It’s not #Iran that wishes to fight to the last American; rather, it is his #B_Team hosts who seem to wish to fight Iran to the last American.”
Zarif has in the past said that a so-called “B-team”, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince could goad the US president into a conflict with Tehran.
Meanwhile, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said Iran would respond from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean against any US plots.