Iran has issued a direct assassination threat to US President Donald Trump.
The comment was made in response to a post from Trump warning Iran will be “hit twenty times harder” if it stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ali Ardashir Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said: “The Ashura nation of Iran is not afraid of your empty threats. Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Be careful not to be eliminated!
The post was signed: “Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Tehran, March 19, 1404 – 10 days after the martyrdom of His Holiness Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.”
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Trump wrote in a post on social media that “Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon” Iran if the country stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of the world’s oil passes through the Straits of Hormuz. The global oil price of a barrel jumped over $100 on Monday.
Trump’s comments came at the end of the 10th day of conflict in the Middle East, after joint US and Israel forces struck key sites in Iran and killed the country’s then leader. Iran has responded but attacking sites across the region, plunging the Middle East into war.
Trump’s post said: “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.
“Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again—Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them—But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!
“This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.”
The Iran conflict is still very much still raging – despite Trump’s claim that the war would come to an end “very soon”. His comments late on Monday had a dramatic impact on oil prices, which had soared to almost $119 a barrel but later eased back to around $90.