Trump sends tweets as war of words with Iran escalates
Heated exchange brings questions about intent
Threats by the leaders of Iran and United States on Monday were echoed by subordinates, as some observers speculated over whether President Donald Trump was seeking some type of confrontation with Iran or trying to change the subject politically.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders described Trump’s near-midnight tweet Sunday as a response to an Iranian threat, and said, “If anybody’s inciting anything, look no further than to Iran.”
Ayatollah Amoli Larijani, Iran’s top judiciary official, said the United States needed to know if it attacked Iran, the U.S. would get “a response that would be written in history.”
WASHINGTON – Since taking office, President Donald Trump has developed a reputation for firing off heated tweets that seem to escalate disputes with world leaders at odds with the United States.
On Monday, Trump trained his social media ire on Iran, prompting observers to wonder whether the president was seeking a confrontation with the country or trying to change the subject politically.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders described Trump’s near-midnight tweet Sunday as a response to an Iranian threat and said, “If anybody’s inciting anything, look no further than to Iran.”
Asked Monday afternoon if he had any worries about provoking tensions with Iran, Trump said “none at all” as he toured the Made in America exhibition on the White House South Lawn.
Ayatollah Amoli Larijani, Iran’s chief judiciary official, said the United States needed to know that if it attacked Iran, it would “receive a response that would be written in history,” according to comments carried by IRNA, a staterun news agency.
Larijani said Trump’s remarks were not unexpected from a “foolish person like Trump.”
John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser, said he has spoken with Trump for “several days” about Iran, and the president “told me that if Iran does anything at all to the negative, they will pay a price that few countries have ever paid before.”
Foreign policy analysts wondered whether Trump was looking to move past a spate of political troubles, including fallout from last week’s meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, or was serious about confronting Iraq.
As Washington prepared to reimpose economic sanctions on Iran after its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, Trump ratcheted up tensions
late Sunday night with a stark tweet written in all capital letters.
“NEVER EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKE OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE,” Trump wrote.
Trump was responding to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who said earlier in the day that “American(s) must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” Rouhani cautioned Trump to stop “playing with the lion’s tail or else you will regret it.”
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in May despite objections from China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. The deal was intended to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump ordered increased American sanctions after those sanctions had been suspended as part of the accord. The first part of the sanctions – affecting Iran’s access to U.S. dollars, its trade in gold and other commodities and its car industry – will snap back on Aug. 4. Sanctions on Iran’s oil industry will be reimposed in November.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lashed out against Trump for threatening to reimpose the sanctions; for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem; and for banning travel to the U.S. from certain Muslim-majority countries.
Some analysts said Trump may be seeking a replay of his approach to North Korea. After months of attacking its leader, Kim Jong Un, Trump suddenly agreed to a meeting with Kim last month.
Colin Kahl, national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden during the Obama administration, said Trump has “appeased” Russia and “gone soft” on North Korea while abandoning the Iran nuclear deal without a backup plan.
“Now the Administration is pushing regime change & the 2 sides are exchanging threats like this,” Kahl tweeted. “Very dangerous.”