The war of words between the United States and Iran continued as Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, railed against the U.S. during a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran with Heiko Maas, Germany’s foreign minister.
Zarif said that the U.S. “cannot expect to stay safe” after starting what he called an American “economic war” against Iran.
“Whoever starts a war with us will not be the one who finishes it,” he added.
Zarif’s comments come amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
At the end of May, President Donald Trump said that war between the United States and Iran would be the “official end” of the country, to which Zarif responded on Twitter, “Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone.”
“B Team” refers to National Security Advisor John Bolton, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Mohammad bin Salman
The United States reinstated sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the JCPOA, also known as the “Iran Deal.”
The subsequent drop in oil exports has thrown the Iranian economy into turmoil. The United States has since accused Iran of promoting unrest in the Middle East.
Source » usatoday