US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy after declaring that it is a “great honour” for him, as America’s 47th President, to kill Iranians whom he accused of attacking innocent people around the world for decades.
Posting on his social media platform on Friday, Trump said Iran had been responsible for killing innocent people globally for 47 years. He added that he now considered it an honour, as the 47th President of the United States, to be killing them.
The remark comes as the long-running standoff between the United States and Iran continues, with Washington repeatedly alleging that Tehran supports armed groups and adds to unrest across the region. Relations between the two countries have remained deeply strained since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Trump claims US is dismantling Iran’s military power
In the same message, Trump asserted that the United States was “totally destroying” the Iranian regime through military and economic pressure.
He claimed Iran’s naval forces had effectively been eliminated and that its air force was no longer functioning. According to Trump, Iranian missiles, drones, and other weapons systems were also being destroyed.
Trump further said several Iranian leaders had already been wiped out and insisted that the United States possessed overwhelming military strength.
The President also criticised The New York Times, calling it a “failing” newspaper and suggesting that its reporting might wrongly make people believe the US was not winning.
‘Unparalleled firepower’: Trump issues fresh threat
Trump went on to say that the US had “unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition and plenty of time” to continue its actions.
He ended the message with a stark warning, saying the world would soon see what would happen to those he described as “deranged scumbags.”
The comments mark one of Trump’s most aggressive public statements on Iran in recent weeks and are likely to further inflame tensions between the two countries.