New York: US President Donald Trump’s furious social media outburst over the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz blockade raises fears of escalation as his Tuesday deadline for Tehran approaches.
“Open the F—in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell,” he wrote on Sunday with the four-letter word spelt out.
He ended the post with the Islamic expression of gratitude and devotion: “Praise be to Allah.”
The rescue of the second crew member from the jet shot down by Iran occurred just hours later.
On Easter eve, he issued a warning: “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them”. And he added, “Glory be to GOD”!
In both posts, he invoked visions of “hell”.
Tehran also intensified its rhetoric and threats.
“If the White House dares to repeat its foolish mistakes, it will soon realise that the flow of global energy and trade can be disrupted with a single move,” warned Ali Akbar Velayati, a former foreign minister and a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, according to that country’s media.
Iran Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf retorted to Trump’s warning of “hell”, posting on X, “Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL”.
The threats could be a blow to the tripartite diplomacy among Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt to defuse the situation, even after Islamabad’s efforts to involve China.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi indicated on Saturday that Tehran was ready for talks, denying reports that it was backing out.
We “have never refused to go to Islamabad”, he said.
Trump’s outburst was a far cry from his optimism last week. He had said that “talks” were going well – referring to the messages exchanged through Pakistan and other intermediaries, adding “I do see a deal in Iran, yeah. Could be soon”.
He even asserted that he had achieved a “regime change” in Tehran and was dealing with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations”.
But his new threat of an all-out battle would end the diplomatic efforts.
Iran’s retaliation targeting the Gulf countries’ energy production infrastructure could worsen the global energy situation.
US presidents have used foul language in private, as several aides have disclosed, or in the case of former President Joe Biden being caught on a hot mike using the “F-word”.
But this was the first time that a president has used such language in what is essentially a virtual diplomatic demarche, though delivered digitally.
His virulent post came as he was flailing in polls about the Iran war, his performance, and mid-term election prospects, while spiking prices hit the electorate.
CNN polls last week showed 64 per cent of Americans disapproved of the military action against Iran, with only 28 per cent approving it, a margin approximated in other polls.
Sixty-two per cent disapproved of his job performance, and only 38 per cent approved — ominously close to Biden’s low of 36 per cent.
Two generic polls about the Congressional elections in November, from CNN and The Economist, showed the Democrats picking up six seats in the House of Representatives, ending the Republicans’ slim hold.
If that happens, the Democrats would have a firm grip on the House with the threat of impeachment.
After having followed Israel into the devastating conflict, Trump has faced contingencies that he admits he had not foreseen: Iran’s ability to restrict access to the Strait of Hormuz, which can hit petrol pumps in Washington, and Tehran striking US allies in the Gulf, further hurting the global energy situation, and shooting down at least one US aircraft.
His attempts to get NATO to get involved have also failed, after he shunned Britain’s offer to send an aircraft carrier and rained invectives on his allies.
Facing what appears to be an intractable situation, he said in his Sunday post, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it”!!! – a warning that he would order the destruction of power plants and bridges across Iran to cripple it.
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Photo: X/@WhiteHouse
–IANS
