Trump’s Concerted Campaign to Provoke Iran

FEATURING REESE ERLICH – President Donald Trump has escalated a war of words with Iran over the weekend tweeting an all-CAPS threat on Sunday after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani remarked, “America must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.” Mr. Trump took umbrage at Rouhani’s words and responded on Twitter on Sunday, “To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.”

Meanwhile, Reuters on Friday published an exposé of a concerted US campaign to provoke criticism of Iran. Based on anonymous sources the outlet found that, “The Trump administration has launched an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups.” Reuters also said, “the [Trump] campaign paints Iranian leaders in a harsh light, at times using information that is exaggerated or contradicts other official pronouncements, including comments by previous administrations.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday gave a speech at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California where he condemned the Iranian leadership.

For more information about his forthcoming book ‘The Iran Agenda Today’, HERE.

Reese Erlich, veteran foreign correspondent and author of a number of books about the Middle East and war on terror, including Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect. His forthcoming book is called The Iran Agenda Today.