Iran Protests Trump’s ‘Bombs Or Deal’ Comment: Reckless and Inflammatory

On Tuesday, Iran’s UN mission strongly criticized remarks made by US President Donald Trump, who had suggested that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons could be done through either negotiations or military action, as reported by AFP.

During an interview on Fox News, Trump stated that there were two ways to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons: “with bombs or with a written piece of paper.” He expressed a preference for diplomacy, adding, “I’d much rather do a deal that’s not gonna hurt them. I’d love to make a deal with them without bombing them.”

In response to these comments, Iran lodged an official protest letter with the UN Security Council on Tuesday, condemning Trump’s statements as “deeply alarming and irresponsible.” The letter, published by the official IRNA news agency, quoted Saeed Iravani, Iran’s head of mission, as saying, “These reckless and inflammatory statements flagrantly violate international law and the UN Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which prohibits threats or use of force against sovereign states.” Iravani also issued a stern warning, stating that “any act of aggression will have severe consequences, for which the United States will bear full responsibility.”

In the same letter, Iravani condemned the United States’ broader policy, arguing that it “reinforces unlawful, unilateral coercive measures and escalates hostility against Iran.” This follows a history of heightened tensions between the two countries.

Back in 2018, President Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and other world powers, reintroducing tough US sanctions as part of his “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran. In retaliation, Iran has steadily reduced its compliance with the agreement.

Most recently, Iran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its plan to “significantly increase” its uranium enrichment up to 60 percent, further advancing its nuclear program. Trump has reiterated his “maximum pressure” policy against Iran in his second term, and just last week, he imposed new financial sanctions on individuals and entities alleged to have helped facilitate the shipment of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian crude oil to China.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has been vocal in his opposition to negotiations with Washington. He warned the government last week against engaging in talks with the US, describing such discussions as “reckless.”

In a related development, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi clarified on Saturday that while Iran remains open to negotiations with the US, it will not engage under Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy. Araqchi emphasized, “The lifting of sanctions requires negotiations, but not within the framework of a ‘maximum pressure’ policy, because it would not be a negotiation but a form of surrender,” in a message posted on Telegram.

{Matzav.com}