Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accessed Twitter on Saturday to warn President Trump
Donald Trump Trump calls the second round of the Georgia Senate ‘both illegal and invalid’ in New Year’s tweets. Judge rejects Gohmert’s electoral process against Pence Former Republican Party senator suggests forming a new party, calls Trump the ‘master’ of Republicans MORE in order not to fall into the trap of Israel’s alleged attempts to provoke war by attacking US forces.
The Trump administration blamed Iran for regular rocket attacks on American bases in Iraq, including near the United States embassy, although no Iran-backed group has claimed responsibility, Reuters reported.
“New information from Iraq indicates that Israeli provocateurs are plotting attacks against Americans – putting an outgoing Trump in trouble with a fake casus belli [act justifying war], ”Zarif tweeted Saturday.
“Watch out for the trap, @realDonaldTrump. Any fireworks will backfire badly, ”he added.
New information from Iraq indicates that Israeli provocateurs are plotting attacks against Americans – putting an outgoing Trump in trouble with a fake casus belli.
Beware of the trap, @realDonaldTrump. Any fireworks will backfire, especially against your best friends.
– Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 2, 2021
Israel did not immediately comment on Zarif’s accusations on Saturday, according to Reuters.
The tweet comes before the one-year anniversary of the assassination by the US of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by a drone attack in Iraq.
National security officials signaled concerns that Iran may be planning a retaliatory attack on the anniversary, taking the US military to fly two B-52H bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday in an effort to detain Iran.
The deployment marked the third such mission in the region in the past 45 days.
A senior U.S. military official told reporters before the flight that a recent US intelligence report indicates that Iran wants to “avenge that killing” and has “potential for other, more complex attacks” against Americans in Iraq, Fox News reported.
“We are seeing plans, especially in Iraq, for complex attacks that require Iranian assistance to carry out,” the official told the news agency.
On Thursday, Zarif tweeted accusing Trump of trying to create a “pretext for war”.
“Instead of fighting Covid in the US, @realDonaldTrump & cohorts spend billions to fly B52s and send guns to OUR region. Iraq’s intelligence indicates conspiracy to MAKE a pretext for war, ”wrote Zarif. “Iran does not seek war, but it will OPEN and DIRECTLY defend its people, security and vital interests.”
On Friday, Iranian commander Esmail Ghaani said at an anniversary event for Soleimani’s death that Iran was ready to retaliate for the strike against the general. Ghaani replaced Soleimani as leader of the Quds force after the general died last year.
“From inside your own home, someone can come who will retaliate for your crime,” he said at the event at the University of Tehran, according to Reuters. “American mischief will not prevent the Quds force from continuing its path of resistance.”
Last month, the US confirmed that it was temporarily remove some employees from his embassy in Baghdad before the anniversary of Soleimani’s death.