U.S. leader threatens to ‘obliterate’ Iran if assassinated

U.S. leader threatens to ‘obliterate’ Iran if assassinated | Daily Tribune

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to “obliterate” Iran if he was assassinated by that country.

“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left,” he said during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room of the White House.

The US Justice Department in November charged an Iranian man suspected of plotting to assassinate Trump while the Republican presidential candidate was campaigning for election.

American authorities said the plot aims to avenge the killing of top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, by a US drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq that was ordered by Trump during his first term in office.

Tehran denied the plot, with President Masoud Pezeshkian telling NBC News’ Lester Holt in an exclusive interview in the Iranian capital.

“Iran has never attempted to nor does it plan to assassinate anyone. At least as far as I know, Pezeshkian said, according to NBC News.

Aside from the threat, Trump on Tuesday said he was planning to reinstate what he called the “maximum pressure” policy against Iran over allegations that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Trump on Tuesday signed a memorandum reimposing the tough policy of sanctions against Iran, similar to during his first term.

The memorandum instructs every department in the US government to design sanctions on Iran, especially in relation to nuclear activities, a White House aide told Trump at the signing ceremony.

This will give Trump “all of the possible tools” to prevent Iran from being a “malign actor,” the aide said.

Trump expressed some regret for the severe measures, saying: “This is one that I’m torn about. Everybody wants me to sign it. I’ll do it. It’s very tough on Iran.”

“Hopefully I’m not going to have to use it very much,” he said. “I’m unhappy to do it, but I really have not so much choice because we have to be strong.”

“We will see whether or not we can arrange. We’ll work out a deal with Iran and everybody can live together,” he said. WITH AFP