Iran hits back at Trump’s latest anti-Iran tweet

Tabnak – In a latest, yet one of the strongest signs of desire to stick to his hostile policy against Iran, US President Donald Trump has threatened he would mark the “end of Iran.” Iranian foreign minister reacted to Trump’s claim, saying that Washington should try respecting the Iranian nation.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has warned US President Donald Trump to avoid threatening Iranians, advising him to try respect as it is the only approach to the Iranian nation, which may bear fruit.

"Never threaten an Iranian. Try respect—it works!" Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account on Monday amid a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington. The Iranian foreign minister added that the policy of "economic terrorism and genocidal taunts" pursued by Trump would fail to "end Iran."

"Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone," he noted. The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that Trump has been “goaded” by the B-Team and “hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do."

Zarif's comments followed an earlier Tweet by the US president who said the Islamic Republic would be destroyed if it attacked US interests. "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again," Trump tweeted.

Trump posted his anti-Iran tweet after a Sunday night rocket attack on the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where the Iraqi government's administrative buildings and foreign missions, including the US embassy, are located.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came in the wake of back-to-back sudden decisions taken by the US recently, including its withdrawal of "non-essential" staff from Iraq.

Meanwhile, a senior adviser to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described recent comments by US President Donald Trump about his willingness to negotiate with Iran as a “theatrical act” and said there is no sign of Washington’s seriousness in de-escalating the tensions.

“In Iran’s view, the United States has reneged on its obligations in recent years and moved toward the destruction of an important agreement endorsed by the United Nations Security Council,” Behzad Saberi Ansari told the Arabic-language al-Alam TV Network, referring to the 2015 nuclear accord.

Through actions that are clear examples of economic terrorism, Washington has damaged the Iranian economy and endangered regional and international peace and stability, he added. The US has not shown any seriousness in solving problems through peaceful means, the top adviser stated.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the Trump administration has been trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.