Iran is playing with fire – Trump

President Donald Trump on Friday, issued a strong “red flag” warning saying “Iran is playing with fire”.

This was part of a diplomatic spat over Iran’s latest ballistic missile test this week.

Mr. Trump in tweet also said that the Iranian government didn’t appreciate how “kind” the US under former President Barack Obama had been to them – a potential reference to the nuclear deal struck with the US and other world powers in 2015 where Iran’s nuclear capability was reduced in return for a loosening of sanctions.

He warned that he would not follow a similar path.

Iran is playing with fire – they don’t appreciate how “kind” President Obama was to them. Not me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

Reacting to Mr. Trump’s warning, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, also on Twitter said that the his country is unmoved by US threats following its missile test launch and Tehran will never initiate war.

Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. We’ll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense. pic.twitter.com/TxlSEL8rjj

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) February 3, 2017

We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense. Let us see if any of those who complain can make the same statement. pic.twitter.com/xwGquvqLvb

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) February 3, 2017

“Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. Will never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defence,” Mr Zarif tweeted.

The diplomatic spat follows a tweet from President Trump on Thursday said that he had put Iran “on notice” over the missile test that could be in contravention of a UN resolution.

He added that Tehran in that should have been “thankful” for the nuclear deal as the country was on “its last legs”.

The warnings though appear as an early manifestation of the president’s promise of a tougher American approach to Iran, but the Thursday tweet received an angry response in Tehran – which may have prompted the latest outburst.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi was quoted by state TV as saying: “Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism … the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative.”

Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. We’ll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense. pic.twitter.com/TxlSEL8rjj

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) February 3, 2017