Trump Fires Back At Rouhani, Warns Iran To ‘Never, Ever’ Threaten United States

U.S. President Donald Trump “Tweeted” a direct warning to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who earlier Sunday advised that “America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” Rouhani’s comments followed threats by senior Iranian political and military officials, in addition to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, to close off the Strait of Hormuz to global oil shipments. In response, President Trump wrote, in capital letters, presumably for effect, “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 social media message came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that the American administration has launched a “maximum pressure campaign” against the Iranian government in a bid to hasten its overthrow through a combination of economic sanctions and support for anti-regime organizations, which he described as “shoots of liberty.” The first batch of renewed U.S. sanctions is slated to go into effect on August 6, barring, among other things, Iran’s purchase of American dollars along with its trade of gold, precious metals and automotive parts. In November, additional sanctions will target the Islamic Republic’s crucial oil and shipping industries as well as its energy sector. In the interim, Tehran continues to discuss with European powers, Russia and China potential ways of circumventing the prospective U.S. penalties with a view to salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal that Washington withdrew from in May.