In a thread of tweets on Sunday, Trump wrote that the United States has singled out 52 sites in Iran as potential targets in case Iran carries out its promised revenge.
“Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have.....targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!” reads one of his tweets.
It’s not clear what Trump has meant by ‘culture’ but destroying any historic sites is tantamount to a war crime.
The tweet has received criticism, especially from Americans who have condemned Trump’s warmongering policies, noting that their children should not die in war with Iran.
“The President of the United States should never threaten on Twitter or anywhere else to target another country’s non-millitary cultural sites. That is an act of evil terrorism with no strategic value whatsoever other than destroying people’s heritage and history,” wrote a netizen.
“I do not think anyone should go to Iran to fight for Trump. Trump is not our Country. He is mentally ill and belongs in the psychiatric ward right now. Those protestors at the embassy were all trained soldiers. No Guns or tools. Just Rocks. No fire extinguishers,” wrote another user.
The threats come as Iran has vowed to take harsh revenge "in due place and right time" on the United States over the assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Lt. General Soleimani on Friday in Baghdad.
Experts believe that Iran’s decisive response is definite and that the US is extremely worried about its assets and personnel deployed in the region.
MNA