"I saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death," he said., World News
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump sharply criticised Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, on Friday (June 27), dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei's first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei said Iran "slapped America in the face" by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei's life. US officials told Reuters on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
"His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were obliterated, and I knew exactly where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the US Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life," Trump said in a social media post.
"I saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death," he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its "disrespectful tone" toward the Supreme Leader.
"If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X in the early hours of Saturday.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
"I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
"Sure, without question, absolutely," he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency - the UN nuclear watchdog - or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran's nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
[[nid:719583]]
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran's parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections. Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House had said on Thursday that no meeting between the US and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
32 minutes ago
- Straits Times
UK distances new spy chief from 'Nazi' grandfather
Ms Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer, is currently MI6's head of technology, known as "Q". PHOTOS: MI6, REUTERS LONDON - The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as 'the butcher'. Ms Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as 'the Butcher' or 'Agent No 30' by Wehrmacht commanders. 'Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather,' a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. 'Blaise's ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. 'It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6.' The Daily Mail said Mr Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the 'worst enemy of the Ukrainian people'. He also sent letters to superiors saying he 'personally' took part 'in the extermination of the Jews', the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organisation and reports directly to the foreign minister. Ms Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors she will be referred to as 'C', not 'M' as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Israel says missile launched by Yemen's Houthis 'most likely' intercepted
Israel says missile launched by Yemen's Houthis 'most likely' intercepted The Israeli army said on Saturday that a missile fired from Yemen towards Israeli territory had been "most likely successfully intercepted", while Yemen's Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the launch. Israel has threatened Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement - which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Gaza - with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist. The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for Saturday's attack, adding that it fired a missile towards the southern Israeli city of Beersheba. Since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade. Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
International Business Times
an hour ago
- International Business Times
Trump Terminates Talks with Canada Over Tax on US Tech Companies and Threatens It to Get Ready for the Consequences Within Seven Days
Trump announced that he is halting trade negotiations with Canada due to its decision to move forward with a tax targeting tech companies and added that Canada would face the consequences of this action within "seven days." In a Truth Social post, Trump slammed the move, referring to the tech tax as " a direct and blatant attack on our country." "Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately. We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period," Trump said in his post. Drawing Trump's Ire The Canadian government plans to implement the tax starting Monday. The digital services tax will impose a 3 percent charge on revenue earned from Canadian users by major companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber, and Airbnb. The tax will be applied retroactively, resulting in U.S. firms owing $2 billion by the end of the month. Speaking to reporters, the President said that "Canada has been a very difficult country to deal with over the years." However, he voiced certainty that Ottawa would eventually back off, saying, "We have all the cards. We have all - every single one." "We do a lot of business with Canada, but relatively little they do most of their businesses with us," he added. "Economically we have such power over Canada, I'd rather not use it." Throughout trade talks with various nations, Trump has criticized digital services taxes, labeling them as "non-tariff trade barriers." No Sympathy for Canada's Actions Canada and the United States have been in discussions on easing a range of high tariffs that Trump had previously placed on Canadian goods. The president accused Ottawa for "copying the European Union" with what he described as an "egregious" tax. Several countries are currently negotiating with the U.S. ahead of a July 9 deadline, after which Trump's hiked tariffs are set to be reinstated. However, Canada and Mexico are not part of those ongoing discussions. Earlier this year, Trump introduced tariffs on neighboring countries, including Canada and Mexico, in response to issues related to fentanyl trafficking and immigration. Negotiations with these nations are taking place separately from other trade talks. The president visited Canada earlier this month for the annual G7 summit but left ahead of schedule, citing developments concerning Iran. On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that several nations are expected to suspend their digital services taxes targeting U.S. tech giants, in return for Congressional Republicans agreeing to block a proposed "retaliatory tax" on foreign investors included in Trump's major legislative package. However, he did not specify which countries were part of this arrangement.
