Trump lashes out at critics as he defends Iran | Political News

President Donald Trump lashed out at all his detractors Monday in another long, unhinged rant on Truth Social, branding Democrats and other critics of the Iran struggle “traitors.”

The post comes two days before the fragile ceasefire settlement between Washington and Iran is set to end, as the prospect of a peace deal appears slim. The president again boasted about the accomplishments his administration has made in the struggle, without specifying, and accused the left of unfairly criticizing him for firing the first wave of missiles into the Middle East.

“The Democrats are doing everything possible to hurt the very strong position we are in with respect to Iran,” Trump wrote, evaluating his seven-week struggle in Iran to the lengths of WWI and WWII. “We’re in it, and it will be done RIGHT, and we won’t let the Weak and Pathetic Democrats, TRAITORS ALL, who for years have been talking about the Dangers of Iran, and that something has to be done, but now, since I’m the one doing it, belittle the accomplishments of our Military and the Trump Administration.”

On Friday, President Trump appeared hopeful that delegations from both nations would attain a peace deal over the weekend in the wake of the 10-day ceasefire settlement between Israel and Lebanon, which led to Iran quickly reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

However, that skinny veil of peace was shattered hours later after Trump said the U.S. blockade of the strait would stay in place until a deal was struck. Iran closed the very important oil transport route once more.

With the U.S.-Iran standoff over the strait intensifying and the ceasefire expiring by Wednesday, it was unclear where President Trump’s earlier announcement of new talks with Iran stood. He had said U.S. negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday.

The uncertainty despatched oil costs rising again. One of the worst global vitality crises in a long time threatened to deepen.

Trump on social media said a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the Iranian-flagged ship, the Touska, to stop and then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.” U.S. Marines had custody of the U.S.-sanctioned vessel and were “seeing what’s on board!”

It was not clear whether anyone was hurt. The U.S. Central Command, which didn’t answer questions, said the destroyer had issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.”

Iranian state media suggest new talks won’t take place

There was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen.

Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday.

U.S. actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the U.S. will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the studies cited Pezeshkian as saying.

Two earlier makes an attempt at talks — last June and earlier this yr — have been interrupted by Israeli and U.S. assaults.

On another cellphone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, that latest U.S. actions, rhetoric and contradictions have been indicators of “dangerous intentions and lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.