Tensions between Washington and Tehran reached a new high last night, with the world coming to the brink of a new war. US forces were woken at about 11.30pm last night (2am Iranian time on Friday morning) “within the hour” of striking – but didn’t receive any further order to carry out the attack, a military official told Newsweek. The military forces were later ordered to stand down. The source didn’t say whether Mr Trump changed his mind completely or had simply pushed back the day he wants the attack to take place. Among the regional military assets in standby is the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf.
The designated targets by the US military included a series of Iranian sites, including a site hosting the S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air missile system, a Soviet system known to the NATO as SA-3 Goa, the Pentagon official said.
This is the weapon believed to have been used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, when an unmanned US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk drone was shot down because it violated the Iranian airspace, according to Tehran.
But Tehran claimed to have used an Iranian-made weapon to shoot down the drone, the 3rd Khordad transporter erector launcher and radar.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran erupted last year when the US President decided to abruptly pull out of the JCPOA – the Iran nuclear deal – struck by his predecessor Barack Obama, Russia, China, the UK, France and the European Union.
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READ MORE: Iran warns US it has power to bring down passenger plane after drone attack
Mr Trump addressed the shooting of the drone and the current climate in the Middle East in a string of tweets.
He wrote: “President Obama made a desperate and terrible deal with Iran – Gave them 150 Billion Dollars plus 1.8 Billion Dollars in CASH!
“Iran was in big trouble and he bailed them out.”
The deal lifted some of the sanctions issued until 2015 against Iran, which means the country was able to access again its own frozen assets held largely abroad – and was not given any money belonging to the signatories.
Mr Trump continued: “Gave them a free path to Nuclear Weapons, and SOON. Instead of saying thank you, Iran yelled Death to America.
“I terminated deal, which was not even ratified by Congress, and imposed strong sanctions.
“They are a much-weakened nation today than at the beginning of my Presidency, when they were causing major problems throughout the Middle East. Now they are Bust!”
Mr Trump has reintroduced sanctions against Tehran and is now trying to bring the country’s oil exports to zero.
The US President then explained what he intends to do, from a military point of view, saying: “On Monday they shot down an unmanned drone flying in International Waters.
“We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General.
“10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone.
“I am in no hurry, our Military is rebuilt, new, and ready to go, by far the best in the world.
“Sanctions are biting & more added last night.
“Iran can NEVER have Nuclear Weapons, not against the USA, and not against the WORLD!”