Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this week threatened President Trump, saying “in a few days, the life of this criminal will end.”
Rouhani made the threat in a speech to the Iranian Cabinet, citing the “martyred” Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was taken out in an airstrike nearly a year ago that was ordered by Trump.
In an English translation posted online by the Iranian government, Rouhani said: “In a few days, the life of this criminal will end and he will go to the dustbin of history.”
“One of the effects of this stupid and disgraceful act,” Rouhani said of the airstrike that killed Soleimani, “was that Trumpism ended.”
“We are very happy about this and we believe that the period after Trump will be a better condition for regional and global stability,” Rouhani said. “As I said after the martyrdom of Martyr Soleimani, I emphasize again that if you cut off Martyr Soleimani’s hand, we will cut off your leg from the region and we will continue the resistance until that day,” Rouhani said.
“Our nation will not give up until they take revenge on his blood as its right,” he vowed.
The threat came just days before the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 3 drone strike on Baghdad airport that killed Soleimani, deemed one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists.
Rouhani accused Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of “savage assassination,” saying Iran “won’t let them get away” and has “every right to avenge the blood of their popular commander.”
“As long as you are in the region, our revenge has yet to be exacted,” the Iranian president added.
Trump last month issued his own warning to Iran. Following rocket attacks on the U.S. Baghdad Embassy’s “Green Zone” Dec. 19, Trump issued a warning in a Twitter post: “Some friendly health advice to Iran,” he wrote. “If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over.”
The U.S. military is taking steps as the rhetoric heats up.
“In precautionary moves, the U.S. moved the aircraft carrier Nimitz and its strike group back into the region this month. As of Tuesday, the Nimitz was off the coast of Somalia to safeguard the withdrawal of U.S. troops, according to U.S. Africa Command. On Thursday, however, the Associated Press reported the carrier was leaving the region,” Military.com reported on Thursday.
On Wednesday, two U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew over the Persian Gulf, avoiding Iranian airspace in a 36-hour show-of-force mission from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, U.S. Central Command said. It was the third time in six weeks that U.S. B-52s had flown near Iran.
“We do not seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack,” Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement Wednesday. “The U.S. continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary.”
