Donald Trump has issued a grave nuclear threat to Iran after the Islamic Republic declared “total war” on the West.
Just days ago, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened Britain, Europe, the US and Israel with a “decisive response” and revealed Tehran was strengthening both its military and its nuclear capability.
But now, the US President has hit back.
Speaking alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Trump told Iran he knew “exactly where they’re going and what they’re doing”.
He then suggested the US could back another major strike on Iran – following a devastating series of raids earlier this year on the country’s atomic energy sites.
“I’ve been reading that they’re building up weapons and other things,” the President said.
“If they are, they’re not using the sites we obliterated, but possibly different sites.
“We know exactly where they’re going, what they’re doing, and I hope they’re not doing it – because we don’t want to waste fuel on a B-2,” he added, referring to the bomber used in the earlier strike.
Donald Trump has issued a grave nuclear threat to Iran
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GETTY
“It’s a 37-hour trip both ways. I don’t want to waste a lot of fuel.”
Speaking ahead of the double press conference, Mr Trump had said: “I hear Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we have to knock them down.”
He told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago base in Florida: “We’ll knock the hell out of them.”
Though the peace-making President also said he remained open to negotiating a “deal” – which he called “much smarter.”
Donald Trump issued the threat alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida
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REUTERS
Mr Netanyahu had said last week that Israel was not seeking a confrontation with Iran, but was aware of the reports of the country’s fresh nuclear drive.
As the two leaders fielded questions, Iran was drawn into a state of emergency as the Islamic theocracy grappled with fierce protests.
Anti-Government unrest has so far spread from Tehran to other cities.
Chants were heard taunting Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime, with slogans including: “This year is the year of bold, Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] will be overthown.”
Chants were heard taunting Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime across Iran
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REUTERSAs protests erupted and clashes with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps broke out, Iran’s currency plunged to new lows – with the knock-on effects of the war with Israel to blame.
The rial has lost about 40 per cent of its value since the so-called “12-day war” in June, plunging to a record low of 1.45million to the US dollar on the open market.
Oil revenues have also shrunk under crippling sanctions from the US.
But Iranian President Pezeshkian said the country was in fact stronger than it was during the 12‑day war,
