'Terrorist in a suit': Iranian officials compare Trump to Hitler amid flaring tensions

Iranian officials have compared Trump to Hitler and Genghis Khan, whilst Zarif accused Trump of breaking international law after the killing of Qasem Soleimani.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

05 January, 2020

The killing sparked calls for revenge [Getty]

Iranian senior ministers responded to US President Donald Trump's threat to bomb 52 sites in Iran on Sunday, saying the attacks would be a "war crime" and comparing the US leader to Hitler and Genghis Khan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Sunday morning that the Trump administration had already "committed grave breaches of (international) law" and that "targeting cultural sites is a war crime".

His colleague, the Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi replied to Trump's tweets shortly after, saying that "like ISIS, like Hitler, like Genghis (Khan)", the US President hated culture.

"Trump is a 'terrorist' in a suit'," he added.

"We will eventually know who will receive strikes on 52 targets", Iran's army chief, Major General Abdul Rahim Mousavi warned, in a clear response to Trump's earlier threats to bomb 52 cultural and heritage sites in Iran if it avenges Soleimani's death.

The comments came after Iran promised “harsh revenge" for the US drone strike that killed Quds Force commander General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq on Friday.

'Death to America'

Meanwhile, members of the 290-seat Iranian parliament unanimously chanted 'Death to America' on Sunday while standing up in the middle of chamber to protest against Soleimani's assassination.

"Mr. Trump. This is the voice of Iranian nation. Listen." said Ali Larijani, the Iranian Parliament Speaker.

The body of Soleimani, commander of Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, arrived to Iran's southwestern city of Ahvaz. early on Sunday morning.

A big funeral is planned for him in Tehran as well as other Iranian cities on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Soleimani was killed on Friday in a US airstrike in Baghdad.

His death in Iraq further heightens tensions between Tehran and Washington after months of trading attacks and threats that put the wider Middle East on edge.

The conflict is rooted in Trump pulling out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, an accord likely to further unravel as Tehran is expected to announce as early as Sunday its plans to break another set of limits.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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