Senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Gholamhossein Gheybparvar has dismissed President Trump’s anti-Tehran remarks as “psychological war,” local media reported.
“We will never abandon our revolutionary beliefs… we will resist pressure from enemies… America wants nothing less than (to) destroy Iran… (but) Trump cannot do a damn thing against Iran,” the ISNA news agency cited Gheybparvar as saying.
The comments come shortly after Trump fired off a stark warning to President Hassan Rouhani on Twitter for the latter’s earlier threats.
Over the weekend, Rouhani lashed out at the United States, having warned that the Trump administration’s hostile policies towards Tehran could prompt “the mother of all wars” and hinted that the US’ attempts to block Iran’s oil trade would result in Tehran’s closing the strategic waterway linking Middle East crude producers to major world markets, the Strait of Hormuz.
“Today, speaking with the US has no meaning except surrender and the end of people’s achievements. Mr. Trump! We are a people of dignity and guarantor of security for the waterway in the region throughout history. Don’t play with the lion’s tail; you will regret it. But the enemies must understand well that war with Iran is the mother of all wars and peace with Iran is the mother of all peace. We have never been intimidated and will respond to threats with threats,” Rouhani said.
On Sunday, Pompeo launched into a rant against Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, branding them as “merely polished front men for the ayatollah’s international con artistry.”
Iran “is run by something that resembles the mafia more than a government,” Pompeo alleged, citing what he called Iranian leaders’ corruption and wealth.
Speaking at the Reagan Foundation, Pompeo also reiterated that Washington wanted all countries to cut their imports of Iranian oil “as close to zero as possible” by November 4.
“We weren’t afraid to tackle the regime at its highest level,” AFP cited him as saying.
Tensions between the two countries have further escalated since President Trump’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, and reimpose anti-Tehran sanctions.
The agreement, signed by P5+1 (Russia, China, the US, the UK, France and Germany) and Iran in 2015, envisaged the gradual lifting of sanctions in exchange for the Islamic Republic maintaining a peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
Source » sputniknews