Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran, saying the country would cease to exist if Tehran attempts to kill him. According to a report by the Associated Press, Trump said in an interview on NewsNation, “I’ve given very strong instructions. If anything happens, they will be wiped off the face of the earth.”
Donald Trump’s comments are an extension of earlier statements in which he said he had instructed his advisors to eliminate Iran if it was found to be behind any attack on him.
Trump’s latest remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over widespread protests in Iran. Trump had openly supported the protesters in Iran and said the US would retaliate if authorities killed people. Tehran, in turn, issued a direct warning to Trump, stating that any attempt to assassinate the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be considered a declaration of all-out war.
Iranian Army’s open threat to Trump:
The Iranian army spokesperson, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, said, “Trump knows that if any aggressor hand is raised against our leader, we will not only cut off that hand, but we will also set their world on fire.” The Iranian military spokesperson’s statement was considered a response to Trump’s interview with Politico. In that interview, Trump called Khamenei a “sick man” and said that it was “time for new leadership” in Iran.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated since the protests that began in Iran late last year. The demonstrations, initially against inflation and the failing economy, quickly transformed into an anti-government movement. Iranian authorities blamed the protests on a conspiracy by the US and Israel and suppressed them forcefully. International human rights groups say more than 4,500 people were killed in the crackdown. Some estimates put the number at over 12,000.
Khamenei acknowledges thousands of deathsThe internet has been shut down in Iran since January 8, making it difficult to ascertain the true number of deaths. Last Saturday, Supreme Leader Khamenei acknowledged the large-scale deaths for the first time, saying that several thousand people had been killed. He blamed US intervention for the violence.
