Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he stopped working on plans to facilitate sanctions against Iran by critical remarks from Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emphasizing that he would consider bombing the country again if it continues to enrich uran for dangerous levels.
Trump said the comments were full of anger and hatred and that he immediately ended up efforts to help Iran recover by lifting sanctions.
Trump responded strongly to Khamenei’s first remarks following a 12-day conflict with Israel, which ended when the United States launched air strikes in Iranian nuclear places last weekend.
Khamenei declared that Iran had “beaten America in the face” by beating a major American base in Qatar in response to the US bombing. He also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump claimed he had spared Khamenei’s life. US officials told Reuters on June 15 that Trump had rejected an Israeli plan to murder the supreme leader.
“His country was decimated, his three evil nuclear places were wiped out, and I knew exactly where he was protected. I would not let Israel or the American armed forces – by far the greatest and most powerful in the world – end his life,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“I saved him from a very ugly and eerie death,” he added.
Trump also revealed that he had been working on a plan to lift sanctions against Iran to allow for faster improvement – but said he had now dropped the idea.
“I am struck by a statement of anger, hatred and disgust and immediately dropped all work on sanctions relief and more,” he said.
In a speech at a news conference in the White House, Trump said he would not rule out further strikes if Iran’s nuclear activity pose a threat.
“Of course, no doubt, absolutely,” he replied when asked if he would consider bombing Iranian nuclear places again.
Trump also said he wanted nuclear inspectors from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – or another respected body – to investigate the bombed Iranian nuclear places. He maintained the view that the websites had been “wiped out” and rejected reports that suggested otherwise.
He expressed support for IAEA’s return to the sites.
The agency’s boss, Rafael Grossi, said Wednesday that inspection restoration was his highest priority when no one had happened since the Israeli bombing began on June 13.
However, Iran’s parliament approved a step on Wednesday to suspend such inspections. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi suggested that Tehran could deny any inspection requests from IAEA’s director.
Trump said he doesn’t think Iran still wants to develop a nuclear weapon following the US and Israeli attacks. He described Iran as “exhausted” and said that Tehran was still interested in discussing a path forward.
The White House said Thursday that no meeting was planned with an Iranian delegation.
