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THREAD: The Trump administration has accused Iran of a series of provocations. There’s no doubt that Iran has been a destabilizing force. The administration, however, has left unsaid the fact that it has leveled a series of threats and provocations of its own at Tehran.
On May 8, President Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) despite Iran’s continued compliance with it, as Trump’s own intelligence advisors concluded. nytimes.com/2018/05/08/wor…
On May 21, Secretary Pompeo outlined the administration’s strategy in a speech at the Heritage Foundation, pledging to “apply unprecedented financial pressure” and vowing to “crush” Iranian operatives and proxies. washingtonpost.com/world/national…
On July 23, Trump tweeted an all-caps threat to Iranian President Rouhani, warning Iran would “SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.”
On August 6, the administration imposed economic sanctions lifted as part of the nuclear deal, despite Tehran’s continued compliance with it. nytimes.com/2018/08/06/us/…
On August 16, Pompeo announced the formation of the Iran Action Group, the same week as the 65th anniversary of the 1953 CIA-backed coup in Iran. Pompeo told reporters the group would work to “change the Iranian regime’s behavior.” theatlantic.com/international/…
On September 25, Pompeo warned the United States would respond swiftly against the “source” of any attack on American interests in Iraq. state.gov/secretary/rema…
On September 25, Trump called Iran a “corrupt dictatorship” and said its leaders “sow chaos, death, and destruction.” The same day, National Security Adviser John Bolton warned that Tehran would have “hell to pay” if it crossed the United States. time.com/5406661/john-b…
On September 28, the State Department evacuated the consulate in Basra over safety concerns. Pompeo issued a statement warning Iran would be held “directly responsible” for any harm to U.S. personnel. nytimes.com/2018/09/28/wor…
On October 3, the administration terminated a 1955 Treaty of Amity affirming friendly relations between the United States and Iran, after the UN’s International Court of Justice ruled against U.S. sanctions on humanitarian exports to Iran.
apnews.com/78112ee6826946…
apnews.com/78112ee6826946…
On October 15, Pompeo penned an article for Foreign Affairs, in which he warned that Iran “cannot match the United States’ military prowess” and said the administration is “not afraid to let Iran’s leaders know it.”
foreignaffairs.com/articles/middl…
foreignaffairs.com/articles/middl…
On November 5, the administration sanctioned Iranian oil, shipping and banking sectors. The Treasury Department called it the “largest ever single-day action” against Tehran. The administration provided waivers to Iran’s largest customers for 6 months.
nytimes.com/2018/11/05/wor…
nytimes.com/2018/11/05/wor…
On November 29, the State Department’s Iran Coordinator, Brian Hook, accused Iran of violating a UN ban on weapons exports, briefing the press and regional diplomats in front of Iranian-manufactured missiles he said were meant for delivery to Yemen.
rferl.org/a/u-s-accuses-…
rferl.org/a/u-s-accuses-…
On December 1, Pompeo condemned Iran for testing a medium-range ballistic missile, warning its range allows it to “strike parts of Europe and anywhere in the Middle East.”
state.gov/secretary/rema…
state.gov/secretary/rema…
On December 12, Pompeo accused Iran of harboring al-Qaeda members during a meeting of the UN Security Council. He also claimed Iran was transferring ballistic missile systems to proxies in Yemen and Iraq. cbsnews.com/news/pompeo-bl…
On January 29, Trump dismissed the assessment of his own Director of National Intelligence and CIA Director that Iran was complying with the nuclear deal, saying they were “wrong.”
On February 11, Bolton released a video addressed to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the 40th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, saying he didn’t think Khamenei would “have many more anniversaries to enjoy.”
On February 13, the Trump administration convened a meeting in Warsaw that was described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a deleted tweet as a meeting “to advance the common interest of war with Iran.” nbcnews.com/news/world/net…
On April 8, the Trump administration designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, the first time the label has been applied to a state entity.
cnn.com/2019/04/08/pol…
cnn.com/2019/04/08/pol…
On April 11, Secretary Pompeo asserted “a connection between the Islamic Republic of Iran and al-Qaeda.” He refused to answer Sen. Rand Paul’s question on whether the 2001 AUMF covered military action against Iran.
foxnews.com/politics/rand-…
foxnews.com/politics/rand-…
On April 15, Secretary Pompeo told a CNN reporter that the current AUMF and Article II of the Constitution give the president “broad powers” when asked about potential military action against Iran.
On April 22, the administration ended sanctions waivers for purchasers of Iranian oil, threatening American allies if they continued to import Iranian oil. Pompeo said the administration is “dramatically accelerating” its pressure campaign.
state.gov/secretary/rema…
state.gov/secretary/rema…
On May 1, Secretary Pompeo said he didn’t believe the Iranian government could ever satisfactorily change its behavior to appease the administration and effectively called on the Iranian people to overthrow the regime.
cbsnews.com/news/transcrip…
cbsnews.com/news/transcrip…
On May 5, after announcing the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to U.S. Central Command, Bolton issued a statement saying the United States would "respond to any attack" with "unrelenting force. cnn.com/2019/05/05/pol…
On May 6, an unnamed U.S. official claimed there was “specific and credible” intelligence of a planned attack by Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria without providing evidence. cnn.com/2019/05/06/pol…
On May 7, an unnamed U.S. official told the AP that Iran is moving short-range ballistic missiles by boat to the Persian Gulf. On May 8, other U.S. officials told CNN the same.
apnews.com/52d3772d7f124d…
apnews.com/52d3772d7f124d…
On May 7, Pompeo abruptly canceled a trip to Germany to meet with Merkel, making an unscheduled visit to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi leaders. Pompeo pressed them to protect Americans in the country from Iran and its proxies.
washingtonpost.com/world/national…
washingtonpost.com/world/national…
On May 8, Trump ordered new sanctions on Iran’s industrial metals industry, the country’s largest non-petroleum export sector. The announcement came on the one-year anniversary of the administration’s withdrawal from the JCPOA.
cnbc.com/2019/05/08/tru…
cnbc.com/2019/05/08/tru…
On May 10, Pentagon officials presented an updated military plan to the White House that would send 120,000 troops to the Middle East to counter Iran. Revisions to the plan was ordered by Bolton, according to the New York Times. nytimes.com/2019/05/13/wor…
On May 10, the Trump administration deployed Patriot missile batteries to CENTCOM for “defensive” purposes.
cnn.com/2019/05/10/pol…
cnn.com/2019/05/10/pol…
On May 10, the Trump administration issued an advisory warning commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb of “heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and interests.”
edition.cnn.com/2019/05/10/pol…
edition.cnn.com/2019/05/10/pol…
On May 13, a single unnamed U.S. official blamed Iran for sabotaging two Saudi oil tankers and two other foreign vessels damaged in the Strait of Hormuz. The official did not provide any evidence to back up the claim nor did Saudi Arabia or the U.A.E.
wsj.com/articles/saudi…
wsj.com/articles/saudi…
On May 13, Pompeo showed up uninvited to a meeting of European foreign ministers, sharing intelligence with them about potential attacks by Iran; the Europeans made a point of saying they would not alter their plans for Pompeo.
washingtonpost.com/world/europe/p…
washingtonpost.com/world/europe/p…
On May 13, Trump told reporters that Iran would “suffer greatly” if its acted imprudently.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
