WASHINGTON – Tensions are mounting between Donald Trump and Iran — the USpresident’s raw tweet threatening Tehran was met Monday with a similarlybilious reply, upping the ante in the high-stakes game of diplomaticchicken.
Trump’s tweeted warning late Sunday to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani –all in capital letters, the digital equivalent of shouting — sparkedquestions about Washington’s strategy towards the Islamic republic.
The US is regularly suspected of backing the idea of regime change, butanalysts say its current stance may simply be an attempt to pivot after aweek of dire headlines over Trump’s much-maligned summit with Russia’sVladimir Putin and a relative lack of progress on North Korea.
The saber-rattling began when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani cautionedTrump not to “play with the lion’s tail,” saying that conflict with Iranwould trigger the “mother of all wars” — prompting the furious salvo fromthe US leader.
The Republican leader’s response was reminiscent of the belligerent tone hetook with North Korea last year.
“NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFERCONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFEREDBEFORE,” Trump warned Rouhani on Twitter.
“WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OFVIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”
A few hours later, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif fired back.
“COLOR US UNIMPRESSED,” Zarif wrote in English, mimicking Trump’s caps-lockmessage.
“We’ve been around for millennia & seen fall of empires, incl our own,which lasted more than the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS!”
While Trump’s “tough stand” was hailed by Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu, it also provoked an avalanche of questions about its exactmeaning and impact.
When asked about the president’s motivations, White House spokeswoman SarahSanders said he was focused on “the safety and security of the Americanpeople” and ensuring Tehran did not acquire nuclear weapons.
But she seemed to downplay concerns about his aggressive posturing, sayingTrump has been “pretty strong since day one in his language toward Iran.” -APP/AFP