Bloomberg reports that Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi reportedly has said that the Trump administration’s new sanctions against Iran “mean the permanent closure of the diplomatic path with the government of the United States.”
It’s as if the Iranians thought that shooting down an Amrican drone was a good way to open up a path to diplomacy. It would behoove the Iranians to study history and realize that the Germans had a similar view of diplomacy during World war II.
They never had any intention of negotiating. Diplomacy was never an option. President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order that blocks Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Tehran officials from the US financial system.
Trump said the sanctions “will deny the Supreme Leader and the Supreme Leader’s office, and those closely affiliated with him and the office, access to key financial resources and support.”
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said later on Tuesday that the fresh U.S. sanctions show Washington’s “desperation for war” and it would not succeed. Now does that mean they don’t want to go to war? Does it mean they’re ready and think they can beat us?
In recent weeks tensions have mounted after the US blamed Iran for attacks on vessels at sea, which it has repeatedly denied. Iran then shot down a drone last week, saying it was in its air space, but Washington alleges it was flying over international waters.
Trump said he had called off a military airstrike to retaliate because it could have killed 150 people. Military action was “always on the table,” the president said but added that he was open to reaching a deal with Iran that he said would bolster the country’s flagging economy. Well not looking that way anymore.
Trump was so enthusiastic about a peace treaty of you will saying, “We will call it ‘Let’s make Iran great again,'” Trump said.
What are your thoughts?