Trump slams Iran in Nowruz holiday message

BEIRUT / Reuters

President Donald Trump used the annual presidential statement marking the Persian holiday of Nowruz to criticize Iran’s government and military leaders with sharp-tongued language rarely before seen in a celebratory presidential message. “The history of Nowruz is rooted in Iran, where for millennia a proud nation has overcome great challenges by the strength of its culture and the resilience of its people,” Trump said in a statement. “Today, the Iranian people face another challenge: rulers who serve themselves instead of serving the people.”
In the message marking the start of the spring New Year’s festival, Trump said he was announcing that the Treasury Department would issue guidance “reaffirming America’s support for the free flow of information to the citizens of Iran” and that the US would hold the regime accountable for cyber-attacks abroad. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin later issued a separate statement underscoring that commitment. Nowruz, which means “new day” in Persian, has its origins in the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism and is also celebrated in Afghanistan, Turkey, India and other countries. Trump specifically attacked Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, saying it had engaged in corruption and mismanagement of the Iranian economy.