Trump tweeted the targets "WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if Iran retaliates for the killing of Qassem Soleimani.
By Dennis Romero and Yuliya Talmazan
President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran that if it retaliates for the killing of one of its top leaders, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, it will face U.S. attacks on 52 targets, a number he said was symbolic.
The president tweeted that the number of targets matched the number of hostages held by Iran in 1979, when 52 American diplomats and citizens were held for 444 days.
"Let
this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American
assets, we have.........targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52
American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high
level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those
targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD," he said.
"The USA wants no more threats!"
Trump's tweet was vaguely worded, but the United Nations Security Council appears to suggest the targeting of cultural heritage sites is prohibited.
Iranian
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded early Sunday, accusing
Trump of threatening a "war crime" and breaching the norms of
international law.
"That is, a big(ly) "no no"," he said.
Trump
added in further tweets that "They attacked us, & we hit back. If
they attack again, which I would strongly advise them not to do, we will
hit them harder than they have ever been hit before!"
A tide of mourners welcomed Soleimani's body home Sunday as thousands packed the streets of the Iranian cities of Ahvaz and Mashhad to pay tribute to the general.
Huge crowds had gathered in Baghdad Saturday to mourn the influential commander of Iran's secretive Quds Force as well as the Iraqi militants killed in the strike on the Baghdad airport.
Later
Saturday, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement that there were
two early evening attacks, including rocket fire, near Iraqi bases that
host American and coalition forces.
No injuries to coalition service members were reported.
On
Sunday, U.S.-led international coalition against ISIS said it had
paused training and support of Iraqi security forces due to repeated
rocket attacks on bases housing its troops.
Iran's state television announced that the country was ending its commitment to limit enrichment of uranium
as part of the 2015 deal with world powers that eased crippling
economic sanctions in exchange for Iran restricting its nuclear
development
Trump unilaterally withdrew
from the deal last May, leaving it in tatters as other foreign leaders
attempted to keep the deal alive. The decision to renege on the
agreement has led to months of escalated tensions between the U.S. and
Iran.
