Trump steps up warning to Tehran; says US ready to strike 52 Iranian sites if Tehran retaliates

Washington, Jan 5 (PTI) President Donald Trump has warned Iran that US has identified 52 possible targets in country and will hit it harder than ever before if Tehran, which has vowed "severe revenge", carries out any attack against America to avenge killing of top military commander Qasem Soleimani.

Maj Gen Soleimani, 62, he of Iran's elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving Baghd International Airport early on Friday. strike also killed deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force.

Soleimani's killing was most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and US.

On Saturday night, Trump warned that US will target 52 sites in Iran some of which are "at a very high level and important to Iran and Iranian culture" if Islamic republic attacks American personnel or assets.

"Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding world of ir terrorist leer who h just killed an American, & bly wounded many ors, t to mention all of people he h killed over his lifetime, including recently hundreds of Iranian protesters,” Trump tweeted.

"He was alrey attacking our Embassy, and preparing for ditional hits in or locations. Iran has been thing but problems for many years," he said.

"Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing 52 American hosts taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. USA wants more threats!" Trump said.

Within 10 hours, Trump issued ar warning and said US would hit Iran harder than ever before if Tehran retaliates.

"y (Iran) attacked us, & we hit back. If y attack again, which I would strongly vise m t to do, we will hit m harder than y have ever been hit before!" Trump said in a past-mid night tweet amidst remarks of retaliation coming from Tehran.

" US just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are biggest and by far BEST in World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment ir way...and without hesitation!" Trump said in ar tweet.

Responding to Trump's remarks, Iranian Foreign Minister Jav Zarif said targeting cultural sites was a 'war crime'.

"Having committed grave breaches of int'l law in Friday's cowardly assassinations, @realdonaldtrump threatens to commit again new breaches of JUS COGENS; Targeting cultural sites is a WAR CRIME; Wher kicking or screaming, end of US malign presence in West Asia has begun (sic)," Zarif tweeted, referring to principles which form rms of international law.

"Those masquering as diplomats and those who shamelessly sat to identify Iranian cultural & civilian targets should t even bor to open a law dictionary," top Iranian diplomat said.

Soleimani was widely seen as second most powerful figure in Iran behind Supreme Leer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His Quds Force, an elite unit of Iranian Revolutionary Guards, reported directly to Ayatollah Khamenei and he was hailed as a heroic national figure.

Ayatollah Khamenei has vowed a revenge against killing of his general, saying "severe revenge awaits criminals" behind attack.