Iranian leaders shrug off Trump's Twitter threats

(Image credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

published 23 July 2018

Iranian leaders are taking President Trump's threats in stride.

Trump on Sunday night sent a tweet warning Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to "NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN," but Iranian state media dismissed the tweet Monday as a "passive reaction," Talking Points Memo reports.

The all-caps tweet was in response to Rouhani's remark that "peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars," with Rouhani on Sunday arguing that attempts to undermine Tehran among the Iranian public would not be successful. Rouhani reportedly told a local newspaper that Trump had better not "play with the lion's tail," but political analysts said the war of words doesn't signal a real desire to escalate conflict. Iranian lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said that the harsh words are made public because the two leaders are currently forced to "express themselves through speeches since diplomatic channels are closed."

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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.

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