FIRE AND FURY
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei says he cannot wait for Trump to die and ‘be eaten by snakes and ants’ after nuke deal pullout
IRAN'S Supreme Leader today said he cannot wait for the day Donald Trump dies and his corpse is "eaten by snakes and ants" after the US ditched the nuke deal.
In an incendiary speech, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared Trump had made a "big mistake" by rejecting the agreement.
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He said: "Wait and see the day when Trump is dead and his corpse is being eaten by snakes and ants, but the Islamic Republic is safe and sound and more powerful than ever."
He also issued a direct challenge to Trump that he "cannot do a damn thing" after pulling out of the country's nuclear agreement.
The Ayatollah added: "You heard last night that the president of America made some silly and superficial comments.
"He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regime and the people, saying you're doing this and that.
What we know so far
- On Monday Donald Trump announced that he would scrap the Iran nuclear agreement.
- US President Trump said Washington was terminating the deal because Tehran was continuing to build its nuclear program.
- Trump also described the agreement as "disastrous" and "defective at its core."
- He then vowed to re-impose economic sanctions against Iran, hoping to affect the nation’s status as the “largest state sponsor of terror”.
- Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, called Trump’s threats “psychological war” and called on allies of the US to stand up to Washington over its nuke deal stance.
- Britain, France and Germany announced “regret” over Trump’s decision but will continue to abide by the agreement.
- A top Iranian lawmaker warned President Trump that ministers were preparing to increase spending on the country's ballistic missile program.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the US that it now "cannot do a damn thing" to stop Iran's nuclear programme following its withdrawal.
"Mr Trump I tell you on behalf of the Iranian people: You've made a mistake."
His comments come as Iran said it was ready to restart enriching uranium at "industrial levels" after Donald Trump pulled the US out of a nuclear deal.
The treaty - officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - took years to develop and saw the Middle Eastern nation agree to reduce its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium by 98 per cent.
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But today Trump claimed Iran had continued to develop its nuke programme, saying: "We have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit back in a defiant press conference in Tehran.
He told reporters: "I have ordered Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be ready to start the enrichment of uranium at industrial levels.
"We will wait a few weeks and speak with our allies and friends and those committed to JCPOA. All depends on our national interests."
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The US withdrawal from the treaty, which was brokered by seven parties and signed in 2015, will place everyone in uncharted territory.
President Rouhani was defiant in his speech, saying his country would remain in a nuclear deal without the US.
He said: "Iran is a country clear of its commitment and the US is a country that has never adhered to its commitments.
Iranian lawmakers set paper US flag ablaze at parliament
"Our history over the past 40 years has told us that the Americans speaking of their approach they've always adopted a hostile approach.
"Tonight they announced they have pulled out of the JCPOA and in fact that was an emphasis on what they have been doing.
He added: "If JCPOA turns into a piece of paper without guaranteeing our interests there will be a clear path ahead for us.
Hours before Trump's announcement, he had said: "It is possible that we will face some problems for two or three months, but we will pass through this."
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But he also warned that the US would regret abandoning the deal "like never before in history".
Enriched uranium is a critical component for making nuclear weapons and in nuclear power stations and by curbing the amount Iran produce is a way to curb the number of weapons produced.
As part of the agreement Iran also agreed to only enrich their uranium up to 3.67 per cent over the next 15 years and they agreed to reduce their gas centrifuges for 13 years.
US President Donald Trump gives speech on plans to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal
Reaction to Trump's decision has today dominated the Iran political landscape with hardliners also issuing various threats and warnings.
The head of parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, warned: "With America's decision, Iran's missile program will not change at all."
And the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards cast doubt on the UK, France and Germanys ability to save the nuclear deal spurned by Trump.
Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said they could not act on their own.
"It's clear that the Europeans can not make an independent decision between Iran and America and are tied to America. The fate of the Iran deal is clear."
Jafari claimed the withdrawal of the US showed that the issue of Iran's uranium enrichment had just been an excuse to try and limit the Islamic Republic's missile programme and regional influence.
Iranian lawmakers set paper US flag ablaze at parliament
"With attention to the fact that the issue of the enemy is our military capabilities, the armed forces must pay closer attention to expanding their capabilities.
"One more time it's completely clear and has been proven that the Americans are bullies. The Americans can not be trusted for any kind of negotiation or agreement."
And the speaker of Iran's parliament this morning declared Trump not fit for his job. Ali Larijani told the assembly Trump "does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues".
"Trump's abandoning of the nuclear deal was a diplomatic show... Iran has no obligation to honour its commitments under the current situation. It is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force."
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