Donald Trump lashes out at Iran government while greeting Iranians for Nowruz

American President Donald Trump on Monday, March 19, wished the people of Iran on the occasion of Nowruz or New Year but he did not forget his country's enmity with the Iranian government and used the occasion to criticise it, especially its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Trump, who has been after the Iranians from the beginning and has shown an intent to reverse his predecessor Barack Obama's pro-peace stand on the Asian country, said after wishing Nowruz that the people of Iran were burdened by rulers who put their own interests above those of the people.

The president also termed the Revolutionary Guard as a "hostile army" which steals from the people of Iran to fund terrorists in foreign shores. Trump alleged that the Guard used more than $16 billion to back the government in Syria and aid militants in countries like Syria, Iraq and Yemen. It can be mentioned here that Iran, along with Russia, is an ally of the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria which has been accused of killing several in a bloody civil war. Trump also accused the Guard of sustaining poverty and harming the environment.

Trump had in January gave an ultimatum to the European members of the nuclear accord of 2015 which aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambition in return for lifting sanctions of various types. Trump has warned that unless the "terrible flaws" of the nuclear deal with Iran were addressed, he would not allow extension of relief of American sanctions on Iran. The sanctions will resume unless Trump brings into act fresh "waivers" to suspend them in May. The deal which Trump has been criticising all through was reached by Obama.

Alerted by the US's strong stand, France on Monday asked the European Union to consider new sanctions to be imposed on Iran over its involvement in the civil war of Syria and its own ballistic missile programme. Washington has also sought a crackdown on Iran over its ballistic missile programme and backing of terror outfit like Hezbollah.

Iran, on its part, has also warned that if the US pulled out of the deal, it would also not abide by its clauses.

OneIndia News