War of words intensifies between Tehran and Washington as Trump threatens Rouhani

Tabnak – One day after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the US not to “play with the lion’s tale” on Iran, his American counterpart threatens Iran with what “few throughout history have suffered before.” The war of words between Tehran and Washington comes amid the new wave of American sanctions against Iran.

In this vein, President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with hardship "the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before" as the United States launched a campaign meant to foment unrest in the Islamic Republic.

“NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!” Trump said in an all-capital post on his Twitter account on Monday.

It came after the Iranian president on Sunday cautioned Trump about pursuing hostile policies against Tehran, saying, “Peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.”

“You are not in a position to incite the Iranian nation against Iran’s security and interests,” Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to reports of efforts by Washington to destabilize Iran.

The Trump administration has launched an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest inside Iran and support anti-Iranian groups, US officials familiar with the matter said.

More than half a dozen current and former officials said the campaign, supported by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, is meant to work in concert with US President Donald Trump’s push to economically throttle Iran by re-imposing tough sanctions, according to Reuters.

The drive has intensified since Trump withdrew on May 8 from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

The current and former US officials said the campaign paints Iranian leaders in a harsh light, at times using information that is exaggerated or contradicts other official pronouncements, including comments by previous administrations.

In the same vein, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced in a speech last night that the Trump administration had launched a "maximum pressure campaign" targeting Iran and its economy.

The US will pursue a "diplomatic and economic pressure campaign" on Iran, Pompeo said as he appealed to Iranians who fled the country after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including MKO terrorists.

Reacting to these remarks, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi condemned Pompeo’s claims against Iran as “hypocritical and absurd” and said the Iranian nation will counter Washington’s conspiracies through unity and solidarity.

“These remarks are a clear example of the country’s (the US’s) interference in Iran's internal affairs and exactly in line with its long-term destabilizing and destructive policies in the region, which are in violation of its international obligations,” he said.

Under the Trump administration, the US has taken an increasingly hostile approach toward Iran. Iranian officials have said US measures equal an “economic war” on Iran.