Trump threatens to "destroy Iran" in response to Baghdad explosion
After a rocket hit Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses the US embassy, Trump threatened Iran with "annihilation." A few days ago, news sources quoted US officials as saying that Trump had no desire for war with Iran.
On Sunday evening, May 19, an explosion occurred in Baghdad's Green Zone, which Iraqi security officials said was caused by a "Katyusha rocket."
The heavily guarded area is home to government buildings and a number of embassies, including the US diplomatic mission. AFP said the blast occurred "near" the US embassy, and Iraqi officials said there were no casualties.
So far, the cause of the explosion and its possible perpetrators have not been determined, however, the US President has attributed the attack to the Islamic Republic.
According to Reuters, Donald Trump, in response to the explosion in Baghdad's Green Zone, wrote in a tweet: "If Iran wants a fight, that will be the official end of Iran." He warned the Islamic Republic to never threaten the United States again.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington have intensified, especially after the explosion at Saudi oil facilities and the "sabotage attack" on several oil tankers in the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah port in the Sea of Oman.
The United States has been beefing up its military presence in the region after tightening sanctions against the Islamic Republic, which aim to impose “maximum pressure” on Iran and reduce its oil exports to zero. One of the main reasons for this is to counter possible action by Iran and its proxies against the interests of the United States and its allies.
The danger of Iranian-backed militias
American officials view Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq as a potential threat, and the United States last week ordered the departure of "non-essential" embassy staff from Iraq.
Bahrain also recently issued a statement, citing the "unstable situation and increasing tensions" in the region, urging its citizens to leave Iraq and Iran "as soon as possible."
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry on Saturday called the situation in the region "fragile and dangerous" and advised Bahraini citizens to avoid traveling to Iran and Iraq.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has called on Gulf Cooperation Council member states and members of the Arab League to hold an emergency meeting to discuss "recent aggressive actions and their consequences in the region."
Emergency meeting of Arab countries
Western news sources reported on Sunday, May 10, citing the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the meeting is scheduled to be held in Mecca on June 29 (May 30).
According to Reuters, at the same time as the news of King Salman's invitation to Arab countries was released, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Jubeir stated that the country is trying to prevent war in the region.
Adel Jubeir, while emphasizing Riyadh's desire to prevent war in the region, warned that Saudi Arabia is ready to respond with "strength and determination" to any escalating action. He said that in the conflict between Tehran and Riyadh, "the ball is now in Iran's court."
Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guards, said at a ceremony on Sunday that the growth of "mujahid youth" in Islamic countries, for whom "fighting the enemy is one of the masculine virtues," has caused concern in the United States, and this concern has turned the region into a "potential battlefield" for the Americans.
IRGC Commander: We are not looking for war
According to Sepah News, Salami stated that "we are not looking for war, but we are not afraid of war and we are ready," adding: "Our enemies also do not have the will to war, but the difference between us and them is that they are afraid of war and their limit is where their lives are at risk, and it is easy to defeat an enemy of this nature."
A few days ago, Reuters news agency reported, citing senior US government officials, that Donald Trump is emphasizing that he does not want a military confrontation with Iran.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that maximum pressure on Tehran will be effective and that the country will soon be ready to negotiate. Last week, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei assured senior government officials that there would be no war between the United States and Iran, while calling any negotiations with the Trump administration “double poison.”
Source: DW
