Iran Warns US Backers Could Be Labelled Hostile States
Tehran, October 23: Iran has cautioned that if fresh military hostilities erupt between Tehran and Washington, countries that back the United States could be regarded as hostile towards Iran.
Fada Hossein Maliki, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, told a Russian news organisation that Iran would be able to identify which regional countries are ready to assist the US military if fighting resumes.
“In that case, Iran's decisions will not be limited to attacks on military bases in those countries. Such nations could also be placed in the category of hostile states,” he said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi argued that the United States had spent 11 billion dollars of taxpayers' money over the past three years on Israel's missile defence network.
“The US has launched more interceptor missiles in the defence of Israel than Israel itself. This is not a cooperative relationship between two countries; it is one-sided dependence,” Araghchi said.
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, suggested that further military action against Iran could not be ruled out. He also conceded that the move could have political repercussions for the Republican Party in the coming congressional elections.
While speaking to reporters before leaving Washington, Trump noted that Americans are divided over his Iran policy. He insisted, however, that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is vital.
“On one hand, people support it because I am doing what previous presidents should have done. On the other hand, some people may not agree,” Trump said.
“I knew there would be a price to pay for this decision, but we cannot allow Iran to get nuclear weapons,” he added.
Trump did not make clear whether he is considering a new military operation, what its targets might be, or when such action could take place.
“In the war with Iran, we have done tremendous damage to them, and we may push it a little further,” he said.