Donald Trump has lashed out at the “ignorant and insulting statement” released by Iran after the US president announced fresh sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation.
Donald Trump has lashed out at the “ignorant and insulting statement” released by Iran after the US president announced fresh sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation.
The tweets came after Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said the move proved the White House was “mentally retarded”.
Mr Trump said it showed Iran’s leaders “do not understand reality”.
He unveiled the sanctions on Monday, saying they were a response to recent “aggressive behaviour” by Iran.
The sanctions target a number of individuals, notably Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who Mr Trump said was “ultimately responsible for the hostile conduct of the regime”.
The US has alleged Ayatollah Khamenei has access to vast wealth which helps fund the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRCG). In a 2018 op-ed, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested it was as much as $95bn (£75bn) and was “used as a slush fund for the IRGC”.
But Mr Rouhani questioned why the US would single out a man who he said only “owns a Hoseyniyyeh [prayer venue] and a simple house”, calling the sanctions “outrageous and idiotic”.
Analysts: “The sanctions are largely symbolic.”
Who do the new sanctions target?
Some analysts said the sanctions were largely symbolic, although the US treasury department said the measures would lock up billions of dollars in assets.
Mr Trump said the measures would deny Ayatollah Khamenei, his office, and those closely affiliated with him, access to key financial resources and support.
President Trump has just signed an executive order to deny Iran's Supreme Leader and his associates access to key financial resources and support. pic.twitter.com/14qE9iUe61
— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) June 24, 2019
President Trump: “The assets of Ayatollah Khamenei and his office will not be spared”
The treasury also said it was also imposing sanctions on eight senior commanders of the IRGC’s navy, air force, and ground forces, including the head of an air force unit that the US said had ordered the shooting down of a US surveillance drone last week.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif – who was the country’s top negotiator on the nuclear deal – would be targeted later this week, it added.
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