Move FM Global News

WASHINGTON, U.S. – In a moment reminiscent of the North Korea strategy that he employed all through his first year in office, the U.S. President Donald Trump has now fired off explosive tweets at Iran and its leader.

In what was said to be exceptionally strong language from the U.S. President – who is known to often use personal jibes and hostile language in Twitter attacks on critics, opponents and even other world leaders – he fired of an all-capitalized tweet, warning the Iranian leader, Hassan Rouhani against threatening the U.S.

Trump wrote, “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 hostilities between Washington and Tehran escalated on Sunday after a tit-for-tat between Trump and Rouhani.

Trump’s tirade on Twitter came in response to to Rouhani’s speech in Tehran, during which he directly addressed the U.S. President and cautioned him and his country against making attempts to foment unrest in Iran.

Rouhani said that his country is growing impatient with the U.S. government and warned that a confrontation with the Islamic Republic would lead to the ‘mother of all wars.’

Rouhani said, “Do not play with the lion’s tail or else you will regret it. America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars. You are not in a position to incite the Iranian nation against Iran’s security and interests.”

Further, Rouhani also attacked Washington’s recent attempts to capitalize on internal public discontent in Iran by launching social media campaigns in a bid to increase dissent against the Iranian government.

The Iranian leader said, “You cannot provoke the Iranian people against their own security and interests.”

He also said that the U.S. cannot prevent Iran from exporting oil.

Following Trump’s late night threats on Twitter, Iranian state-owned news agency IRNA carried a report dismissing the U.S. President’s threats, describing it as a “passive reaction” to Rouhani’s remarks.

IRNA, which is a government mouthpiece said on Monday that Trump’s comment was only mimicking and copying Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who had in the past warned the West to “never threaten an Iranian.”

Yet, even though Iran dismissed the late-night Twitter rant, markets experienced obvious jitters, with the rial hitting an all-time low.

When trading opened on Monday, the Iranian national currency was sent into a tailspin, exacerbating months-old fluctuations that have prompted protests in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar.

The rial, which has been rapidly depreciating against the dollar since May, hit an all-time low. 

Relations between the two countries have grown worse after Trump decided to withdraw America from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May this year.

Trump claimed that Israeli intelligence reports had proved that Iran is not in compliance with the agreement which it signed with the U.S., the U.K., Russia, France, China, Germany, and the European Union.

Trump’s decision came despite intense lobbying efforts by America’s European allies, who felt the 2015 deal was their only chance to limit Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Iran is now facing the full blow of sanctions which it received relief from as part of the deal.

Further, the Trump administration is also attempting to squeeze Iran’s oil industry by trying to shut Iran out of global oil markets – a move that could not only destabilize the Islamic Republic’s economy but could also put oil markets under huge strain amid supply outages elsewhere.

Trump has previously suggested that Iranian leaders are “going to call me and say ‘let’s make a deal”‘ but Iran has rejected talks.

Meanwhile, the war of words between the two leaders came along with an interjection from the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was strongly critical of Iran in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California on Sunday.

Calling the religious leaders of Iran “hypocritical holy men,” Pompeo alleged that the country’s leaders had amassed vast sums of wealth while allowing their people to suffer.

His speech was part of a highly critical broadside issued as the republic approached the 40th anniversary of its Islamic revolution.

He also ignored Rouhani’s threats made earlier in the day and unveiled plans to increase the media outreach to the Iranian people. 

He said the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors is taking new steps to help Iranians get around internet censorship and is launching a new 24/7 Farsi-language channel across television, radio, digital, and social media formats, “so that ordinary Iranians inside Iran and around the globe can know America stands with them.”

Pompeo also castigated Iran’s political, judicial and military leaders – accusing several by name of participating in widespread corruption. 

Further, he said that the government has “heartlessly repressed its own people’s human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms.”

Pompeo added that despite poor treatment by their leaders, “the proud Iranian people are not staying silent about their government’s many abuses.”

He said, “And the United States under President Trump will not stay silent either. In light of these protests and 40 years of regime tyranny, I have a message for the people of Iran: The United States hears you. The United States supports you. The United States is with you.”

Meanwhile, several critics pointed out that Trump’s rant could also possibly be aimed at diverting from the intense criticism he has come under following his summit with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki last week. 

On Monday, Foaz Izadi, a prominent Iranian commentator close to the establishment, accused Trump of attempting to distract attention from domestic pressures in the U.S.

Izadi said, “This is designed to address his base in the U.S. You need to remember that he is facing elections in November and if Democrats gain power in the U.S. congress, they will impeach him.”

Adding, “Elections are going to be quite important for him and he is using rhetoric that is suitable for the base that voted for him, using everything in caps and looking tough. In reality, remember he used the same type of rhetoric against North Korea and in the last few months, he has given a lot of things that North Koreans wanted from the U.S. North Korean policy has been tough on rhetoric and quite weak in substance when it comes to U.S. interests.”

Izadi added that Iranian officials are concerned about Trump and pointed out, “They think he is a dangerous person. I think Rouhani in the last few weeks has changed his rhetoric also. He has spoken about the U.S. foreign policy in terms he hadn’t used before. The rhetoric is negative and increasing on both sides, and people inside Iran are worried.”

Meanwhile, Gholamhossein Gharibpour, the head of the country’s voluntary basij paramilitary force rejected Trump’s rhetoric and said, “What Trump is saying against Iran is merely psychological warfare. He wouldn’t dare to make the mistake of taking any actions against Iran.”

Pompeo’s speech too was condemned and Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi said, “The U.S. secretary of state’s hypocritical and absurd speech in the gathering was only a propaganda exercise and showed the unlimited desperation of the U.S. administration more than ever.”

He added, “These remarks are a clear example of the country’s interference in Iran’s internal affairs and exactly in line with its long-term destabilising and destructive policies in the region.”

Pompeo, who called Iran’s ruling elite a “mafia” in his speech, also faced flak online as Iranians used #StopMeddlingInIran to voice their opposition against the U.S. on Twitter.