U.S. President Donald Trump wondered aloud on Friday why Ali Khamenei, the “so-called ‘supreme leader’” of “the war-torn country of Iran,” would say “so blatantly and foolishly” that the Islamic Republic defeated Israel in the war.
“He knows his statement is a lie. It is not so,” Trump stated. “As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie. His country was decimated, his three evil nuclear sites were obliterated, and I knew exactly where he was sheltered and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the greatest and most powerful in the world, terminate his life.”
Writing at times in all capital letters, the president said he saved the Iranian regime leader from “a very ugly and ignominious death,” and that Khamenei does not have to thank him.
“In fact, in the final act of the war, I demanded that Israel bring back a very large group of planes, which were heading directly to Tehran, looking for a big day, perhaps the final knockout,” he said. “Tremendous damage would have ensued, and many Iranians would have been killed. It was going to be the biggest attack of the war, by far.”
Trump also stated that he has been working on the “possible” removal of sanctions on Iran over the past few days, “and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast and complete recovery.”
“The sanctions are biting,” he said. “But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more.”
“Iran has to get back into the world order flow, or things will only get worse for them. They are always so angry, hostile and unhappy, and look at what it has gotten them—a burned-out, blown-up country, with no future, a decimated military, a horrible economy and death all around them.”
“They have no hope, and it will only get worse,” he added. “I wish the leadership of Iran would realize that you often get more with honey than you do with vinegar. Peace.”
Per the White House pool report, Trump was asked on Friday, “if he would consider bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities if Tehran was enriching uranium to a level that concerned the United States.”
“Sure. Without question,” he said, per the pool. “Absolutely.”