Trump warns Iran’s Rouhani ‘never, ever threaten the US’

Bloomberg

US President Donald Trump launched a new broadside against Iran, warning of unspecified “consequences” if Hassan Rouhani continues threatening America.
In a Twitter post, Trump said, “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 threat — similar to ones Trump issued last year in warning North Korea about its rapidly improving nuclear weapons programme — risks leading to a speedy escalation if neither side backs down. Oil rose as tensions over Iran countered growing concerns that trade protectionism would hit economic growth. Brent oil — the global benchmark — was trading up 1.12 percent at $73.89 a barrel in London.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to “broadcast” what actions Trump would be willing to take against Iran or what threat would prompt a response.
“He’s monitoring and watching the actions of Iran. If needed, he will take what steps are necessary to protect people in this country and certainly to protect the world from nuclear proliferation,” Sanders told Fox News.
Trump’s tweet came hours after Rouhani warned the US against threatening Iranian oil exports and called for improved relations with neighbours.
“We’re not fighting or at war with any country, but the enemies have to clearly understand that war with Iran will be the mother of all wars and likewise peace with Iran is the mother of all peace,” Rouhani said.
The head of Iran’s paramilitary Basij forces dismissed Trump’s words as part of a psychological war. The US “wouldn’t dare make the mistake of taking action against Iran,” Gholamhossein Gheybparvar was quoted as saying by the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency.
The tensions come as the US moves closer to imposing sanctions on countries — including key allies — that don’t eliminate or significantly cut imports of Iranian oil by November 4. That effort follows the Trump administration’s decision this year to withdraw from the Iran nuclear accord, which eased economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic in return for restraints on its nuclear programme.
Earlier this month, the other participants in the nuclear deal met in Vienna to look for ways to ensure Iran still gets the benefits it’s seeking from the accord despite the US threats. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called for “practical solutions” rather than “obscure promises.” But world powers were unable to offer concrete proposals, and diplomats have warned there may be little they can do.
The back and forth between Trump and Rouhani also came as US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo delivered a speech in California on Sunday, in which he accused the country’s leaders of corruption and urged European allies to join the pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Pompeo said Iran’s leadership is made up of “hypocritical holy men” responsible for “crooked schemes” that have hurt the country’s economy and people.
The top US diplomat added that America stands in solidarity with Iranians and reiterated the November deadline for countries to get their imports of Iranian oil to “as close to zero as possible.” While the administration has said it doesn’t seek regime change, it has repeatedly said that Iran’s leaders don’t have their citizens’ interests at heart.