Donald Trump warns Iran to never threaten US. On Twitter. In all CAPS
Trump earlier this year pulled the United States out of the international deal meant to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and ordered increased American sanctions
US President Donald Trump launched a new broadside against Iran, warning of unspecified “consequences” if counterpart Hassan Rowhani again threatened America.
In a Twitter post late Sunday, Trump in all caps said: “To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”
The comment – similar in tone and wording he used last year in warning North Korea about its rapidly improving nuclear weapons programme – came hours after Rowhani said the US risked the “mother of all wars” in a conflict with Iran.
In a speech, Rowhani warned his US counterpart against threatening the nation’s oil exports and called for improved relations with its neighbours, including arch-rival Saudi Arabia.
The head of Iran’s Basij militia on Monday dismissed Trump’s threat as “psychological warfare”.
“Trump’s statements against Iran are psychological warfare. He is not in a position to act against Iran,” said General Gholam Hossein Gheypour, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.
Trump is reimposing sanctions on Iran, which ships most of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, in an effort to squelch the country’s oil sales.