President Donald Trump warned that he left instructions to have Iran “obliterated” if the country should succeed in any assassination attempt on his life.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said he was “torn” over signing a new executive order targeting Iran but ultimately pushed forward with the directive to reinstate oil export sanctions on the country.
Last year, it was reported that Iran ordered an operative to assassinate Trump before the election, with three people charged in connection with the plot.
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“There won’t be anything left” of the country said Trump about the “instructions” he left in the event that he is killed. Trump said the new executive order was necessary to prevent the country from building up its nuclear arms and said his feelings on the matter were simple. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
When asked how close Iran is to developing such a weapon, Trump responded, “They’re too close.”
Trump’s memo also orders the U.S. Treasury secretary to impose “maximum economic pressure” on Iran and other countries that violate existing sanctions.
The New York Times reported that the country is looking to expedite the development of a more rudimentary version of an atomic weapon to act as a deterrent against attack from its enemies, including Israel.
However, Iran’s newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled that he is open to negotiation with the Trump administration, reported NYT.
Trump signed the memo just before his Tuesday scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where they are expected to rebuild relations and map out America’s support for the country.
