If Iran wants to start a conflict with the United States, “that will be the official end of Iran,” US President Donald Trump warned in a Tweet on Sunday, adding that the country should “never threaten the United States again.” The Tweet was sent hours after the Iraqi military reported a rocket attack on a building close to the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone. While it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, the US Department of State warned that it would hold Iran responsible “if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces”.
While tensions between the US and Iran have risen dramatically in recent weeks after the US imposed new sanctions on Iran, Trump had so far repeatedly denied that he wants to go to war with the Islamic Republic. Similarly, Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that they want to start a conflict. For instance, on Saturday Iran’s foreign minister stated that “there will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region.”
Some experts fear that the apparent absence of a clear US strategy on Iran may lead the country into an avoidable conflict with Iran. In addition, various analysts have pointed out that US National Security Advisor John Bolton and various other officials appear willing to provoke Iran to the point that it would launch an attack, thereby providing the US with a reason to go to war.
Read more: Trump says war would be ‘end’ of Iran as tensions rise
