The President of the United States, Donald Trump, said on Thursday that if Iran is linked to the co-pilot who attempted to down a flight bound for Israel, the Islamic Republic would be hit “very hard” by the attempt on the lives of more than 180 people on board.
Trump made the threat as investigators examine what motivated the co-pilot to stab the flight’s captain, causing a sharp descent of the FlyDubai aircraft before the crew and passengers were able to contain the attack and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Questioned by reporters at the White House about possible links between the aggressor and Tehran, Trump said the government “is working on it now.” “I would say that the answer, from what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it now,” he stated, without explaining why he suspects Iranian involvement.
Asked if the United States would retaliate if Iran’s involvement is proven, Trump replied: “Oh, they will be hit, very hard, don’t worry.” “Just ask them,” he said. “They know what happened.”
The statements come amid signs of stagnation in diplomatic efforts to end the war. On Wednesday, Iranian authorities indicated they had received an official response from the U.S. to Tehran’s latest proposal to end the seven-month conflict — a proposal that Trump had publicly rejected a few days earlier. Iran did not disclose the content of the response nor whether it was a rejection.
In an interview with Time magazine published on Thursday, Trump said he would not accept Iranian proposals that he “would not have approved a year ago” and left open the possibility of resuming bombings after the American election on November 3.
Also on Thursday, a U.S. official told the AP that the American armed forces had sent about 9,000 service members aboard a carrier group to the Middle East. According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the operations, the reinforcement could mean the presence of three aircraft carriers in the region by the end of October.
Despite Trump’s public rejection, mediators continue working with Iran and the United States to try to stitch together an agreement to end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials interviewed by the AP on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to comment publicly. Source: Associated Press.
Content translated with the aid of Artificial Intelligence, reviewed and edited by the Broadcast Editorial Desk, the real-time news system of Grupo Estado
