'Diverting attention from failures': Iran slams Trump over embassy attack allegations

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on December 24 accused the outgoing US President Donald Trump of putting Americans “at risk abroad” in order to divert attention from his own “catastrophic failures” in the country with his claims over attack on the US embassy in Iraq. While the Trump administration is spending the closing days at White House before President-elect Joe Biden takes over the charge, he recently threatened Tehran of retaliation over the attack on US embassy in Baghdad.

Zarif shared Trump’s tweets from 2011, 2012 and 2013 in which Trump can be seen warning the administration of 44th US President Barack Obama to not start a war with Iran. In those tweets, Trump has even called out Obama for his “ inability to negotiate properly" and to "get elected.” This came after the Republican leader accused Iran of being responsible for the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad that had occurred last week and warned the Islamic nation over hurting even one American.

Read - New Round Of Trump Clemency Benefits Manafort, Other Allies

Read - Trump Threatens COVID Relief Bill, Testing Loyalty Of GOP

Trump shares image of rockets, blames Iran

Donald Trump administration on December 24 blamed Iran for a series of rocket attacks that were launched on the US Embassy in Iraq and warned against any further aggression. The US President took to Twitter to threaten Tehran and asked the latter to “think it over” before hurting US citizens abroad before Zarif called Trump out for diverting attention from his failures. Trump had even shared the images of the three rockets that “failed to launch.

Moreover, the Iranian Foreign Minister’s attack on Trump came after Iran President Hassan Rouhani described the outgoing US President as a “madman” and even compared him with former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  The Iranian president's provocative remarks come ahead of Trump's White House exit after one term in office, which saw a colossal rise in regional tension in the face of the US's aggressive policies in the Middle East.  

"One madman in our region was Saddam, who imposed a war on our nation, and the other madman was Trump, who imposed another war on our people," Rouhani said in comments that were broadcast on state television."One imposed a military war on us, while the other imposed an economic war."

Read - Trump Pardons Former Aides Convicted During Mueller Investigation, Son-in-law's Father

Read - Trump Vetoes Defense Bill; Speaker Pelosi Calls It “an Act Of Staggering Recklessness'