In a rather angry message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that Tehran’s ‘anger, hatred, and disgust’ made him drop working on possible removal of sanctions.
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran, saying that the country would have to get back into the “World Order flow” or “things will only get worse for them”.
“During the last few days, I was working on the possible removal of sanctions, and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast, and complete recovery – The sanctions are BITING!” Trump wrote.
“But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more. Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them,” he added in his long message.
Trump dismisses reports of nuclear deal for Iran
Trump on Friday dismissed media reports that said his administration had discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program.
According to reports published by CNN and NBC News on Thursday and Friday respectively, the Trump administration in recent days had explored possible economic incentives for Iran in return for its government halting uranium enrichment. The reports cited sources.
CNN cited officials as saying that several proposals were floated and were preliminary.
“Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that ‘President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities? Never heard of this ridiculous idea,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late on Friday, calling the reports a “HOAX.”
Since April, Iran and the US have held indirect talks aimed at finding a new diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran says its program is peaceful and Washington says it wants to ensure Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon, a Reuters report said.
Iran holds state funeral for top brass
Iran held a state funeral service on Saturday for around 60 people, including its military commanders, killed in its war with Israel, after Tehran’s top diplomat condemned Donald Trump’s comments on supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as “unacceptable”, an AFP report said.
The proceedings started at 8:00 am local time (0430 GMT) in the capital Tehran as government offices and many businesses were closed on Saturday for the occasion.
“The ceremony to honour the martyrs has officially started,” state TV said, showing footage of thousands of people donning black clothes, waving Iranian flags and holding pictures of the slain military commanders.
According to the report, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with other senior government officials and military commanders – including Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of the Revolutionary Guards – attended the event.
(With inputs from agencies)