Khamenei shrugs off Trump threat to retaliate over Iraq embassy violence

TEHRAN (Agencies): Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump was powerless to do anything to Iran, which will not hesitate to strike against any who threaten its interests.

Khamenei scoffed at remarks Trump made the previous day, in which the US leader said he was holding Tehran responsible for a violent assault on the US embassy in Iraq by pro-Iranian demonstrators, who breached the outer wall of the Baghdad compound and burned property inside.

“That guy has tweeted that we see Iran responsible for the events in Baghdad & we will respond to Iran,” Khamenei wrote on his official Twitter account.

“1st: You can’t do anything,” he wrote. “2nd: If you were logical — which you’re not — you’d see that your crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan … have made nations hate you.

“If the Islamic Republic decides to challenge & fight, it will do so unequivocally,” Khamenei continued. “We’re not after wars, but we strongly defend the Iranian nation’s interests, dignity, & glory. If anyone threatens that, we will unhesitatingly confront & strike them.”

“Look at what the US is doing in Iraq & Syria. They’re taking revenge on Hashd al-Sha’bi (the PMF) for defeating ISIS,” Khamenei wrote, referring to PMF involvement in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.

“Since #Hashd crippled & destroyed ISIS -which the US had created- they’re taking revenge,” Khamenei wrote. “The Iranian govt & nation & I strongly condemn the US’s malice.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the visits paid by American officials to certain regional states without advance notice or proper authorization from the relevant governments as an example of the US disdainful behavior towards regional nations.

Ayatollah Khamenei also commented on the violent riots that hit several Iranian cities in mid-November on the back of a series of popular protests over a government decision to increase fuel prices. The Leader said the people had some demands, but that the enemy quickly intervened to take advantage of those demands and commit acts of vandalism.

The people’s vigilance came to light when they broke ranks with the rioters, who were trying to hide behind ordinary protesters.

“The main culprits of the mid-November riots and the attacks on infrastructure such as gasoline storage sites, wheat warehouses and public property were linked to foreign intelligence agencies,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

On the first day of the riots, the Leader added, the Americans jumped for joy, but they became disappointed shortly afterwards as the riots came to end and they failed to achieve what they wanted.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the US Administration should stand accountable for the dlrs-200-billion damages it inflicted on Iran by its unlawful sanctions.

The president made the remarks in the inauguration ceremony of a number of airport projects in Ardebil.

Rouhani said that the US sanctions were a conspiracy against Iran hatched to gain the aim of breaking Iran’s strength and making us surrender.

He urged the US to return from this path, saying that such a conspiracy will not work against Iranians. 

We are ready whenever they retreat from their present position and go back to their first position, Rouhani said.

You are not a better nation than us and your government is not better than ours, he told Americans.

He further stressed that “we respect your nation and but we oppose your government due to its bad deeds.”