Iran dismisses Trump’s threat as ‘psycho warfare’
July 23, 2018 - Iran dismissed Donald Trump’s threats of “consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before” after the US president’s late-night Twitter tirade at the Islamic Republic.
In his latest salvo, Trump tweeted late on Sunday that threats from Iran could bring dire consequences. Earlier Sunday the Iranian leader had warned Trump not to “twist the lion’s tail,” saying that conflict with Iran would be the “mother of all wars.”
“America must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.”
Iranians on Monday shrugged off Trump’s tweet, which also called on Rouhani to “never, ever threaten the United States” and “be cautious,” but the US president’s remarks sparked jitters in Iran’s market.
Within hours, Iran’s state-owned news agency dismissed Trump’s warning tweet, describing it as a “passive reaction” to Rouhani’s remarks.
IRNA said that Trump’s Twitter missive was only mimicking and copying Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who had in the past warned the West to “never threaten an Iranian.”
Trump’s ‘psychological warfare’
The head of Iranian volunteer Basij forces said the US is not in a position to threaten Iran, dismissing Trump's pugnacious message as “psychological warfare.”
“What Trump is saying against Iran is merely psychological warfare. He wouldn’t dare make the mistake of taking any action against Iran,” General Qolam-Hossein Qeibparvar said.
Qeibparvar said the Iranian people and Armed Forces will stand up to the enemies and will not back down, adding “our belief is that the way to felicity and progress is to resist and withstand ill-wishers and enemies.”
“We will not step away from our revolutionary principles and beliefs, and will stand up to the expansionists, arrogant powers, and bullies,” he said.
“Those who fear this crazy president's psychological warfare will know that America will not be content with anything less than our annihilation,” the commander added.
Senior Iranian lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said he doubted it would come to a military confrontation between Iran and the United States, despite the escalating rhetoric.
Falahatpisheh, who heads the influential parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign policy, said that Trump and Rouhani “express themselves through speeches since diplomatic channels are closed” as the two countries have had no diplomatic relations since 1979.
He said that unlike North Korea, “Iran never moved toward a nuclear bomb” and that therefore, “Iran is angry since Trump responded to Tehran’s engagement diplomacy by pulling the US out of the nuclear deal.”
Trump earlier this year pulled the US out of the international deal and ordered increased American sanctions, as well as threatening penalties for companies from other countries that continue to do business with Iran.
With the economic pressure, Trump said earlier this month that “at a certain point they’re going to call me and say ‘let's make a deal,’ and we'll make a deal.”
Iran has rejected talks with the US, and Rouhani has accused the US of stoking an “economic war.”
Following the pullout US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unveiled Washington’s tougher line under which, he said, the US would lift the new sanctions if Iran ended its ballistic missile program and regional activities.
Rouhani dismissed those US threats and on Sunday said: “You cannot provoke the Iranian people against their own security and interests.”
On Monday, the White House said Trump’s tweet shows he is not going to tolerate critical rhetoric from Iran and insisted the US leader isn’t escalating tensions between the two countries.
Trump has a history of firing off heated tweets that seem to quickly escalate long-standing disputes with leaders of nations at odds with the US.
In the case of North Korea, the public war of words cooled quickly and gradually led to the high profile summit and denuclearization talks.
Threats never help
Germany called for restraint in reaction to the warnings exchanged between Iran and the US.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Christofer Burger told reporters in Berlin on Monday: “We support dialogue and talks, and we call on all sides to exercise restraint and rhetorical disarmament.”
Burger said that “threats of military force are never helpful, and I think that particularly in the tense situation in the Middle East this is not a helpful means of discourse.”
US interference
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi missed Trump’s tweet, but lashed out at Pompeo’s address to Iranian-Americans in California, characterizing his criticism of Iranian officials as “vulgar, baseless, and deceitful.”
Qassemi condemned Pompeo’s remarks at the Ronald Reagan Library on Sunday as interference in Iran’s affairs and a “propaganda exercise.”
“Pompeo’s speech was a clear interference in Iran’s state matters… Such policies will unite Iranians who will overcome plots against their country,” he said.
Pompeo, a longtime Iran hawk, affirmed support by Washington for protesters who have taken to the streets of Iran as economic woes mount after the US withdrawal from the nuclear accord.
“The United States hears you. The United States supports you. The United States is with you.”
On Twitter, many Iranians used #StopMeddlingInIran to voice opposition to Trump’s policy on Iran, as well as Pompeo’s speech.
AP, Reuters, AFP, Press TV, Tasnim and the Guardian contributed to this story.