 "Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again as Khamenei warns of retaliation for future attacks")
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran once again if the country continues to pursue the enrichment of uranium, days after “brokering” a ceasefire that effectively ended the country’s 12-day-long fighting with Israel.
Trump’s comments came as a reaction to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s first message on the ceasefire. Khamanei said Iran “slapped America in the face” by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
“Sure, without question, absolutely,” he said.
‘Saved him’
The president claimed that he had spared Khamenei from getting killed in the attacks. US officials told Reuters that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
“His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the US Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,” Trump said on a social media post.
He added, “I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH.”
What about the US-Iran nuclear deal?
Meanwhile, Trump had said a few days ago that Iran and the US would hold nuclear talks as soon as next week, teasing the possibility of a deal even after boasting that recent US strikes had crippled the Islamic republic’s atomic programme.
However, after his comments on the supreme leader, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsUS drops lifting sanctions on Iran
Khamenei’s statement led Trump to drop the idea of lifting sanctions on Iran, as he said, “I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more.”
The president was reportedly working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery.
With inputs from agencies
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