Iran Responds To Trump’s All-Caps Smackdown

As we mentioned last night, President Trump went on an all-caps TIRADE against Iran.

To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018

That’s… a lot to swallow.

I don’t even know how to feel about it. One half of me wonders what in the fresh HELL is going on here…

The other’s all like AMERICA! EFF YEAH!

So yes, this is hard to process. It’s just so unlike anything we’ve really ever seen in American politics… I lack a frame of reference on this.

Anyway… an Iranian commander has responded to Trump’s warning.
According to this:

A senior Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps commander warned President Donald Trump Monday that he “cannot do a damn thing against Iran.”

“We will never abandon our revolutionary beliefs … we will resist pressure from enemies … America wants nothing less than (to) destroy Iran … (but) Trump cannot do a damn thing against Iran,” Gholamhossein Gheybparvar, a top IRGC officer, said, according to Reuters, citing a report from Iranian Students News Agency ISNA.

Oh really?

We can’t do a damn thing against Iran?

I really don’t want to say “try us”… because I’d HATE to see this escalate.

But yeeeeah. That’s naively misguided.

The commander’s comments were in response to the president’s overnight tweet threatening Iran, a stern warning in response to statements made Sunday by Iran’s president.

The Trump administration has increased pressure on Iran, not only by withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions, but also by eliminating revenue sources supporting the regime and funding its malign activities. The U.S. is currently pushing countries to cut all oil imports from Iran. Furthermore, the U.S. is actively offering its support to Iranian citizens challenging the authority of the Iranian leadership.

The U.S. “will support the long-ignored voice of the Iranian people,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday, according to Reuters. Iran “is run by something that resembles the mafia more than a government.” He described U.S. policy as a pressure campaign, one not all that different from the one North Korea faces. In fact, the president’s tweet strongly resembles his “fire and fury” rhetoric from last summer.

And Sarah Sanders has sort-of-kind-of explained the tweet this morning.

Preempting expected media criticism of Trump’s tweet, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told “Fox & Friends” Monday, “This is a president who is going to stand up and make sure he is doing what is necessary. He is showing peace through strength.”

“If needed, and steps are required, this president is not afraid to take them,” she added without going into specifics.

We’ll see if this escalates further…

I honestly don’t even know what to expect.