US will destroy Iran if a election candidate is harmed, says Trump

WASHINGTON,— Former U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that Iran should face devastating retaliation if it is found to be involved in any attacks on a U.S. presidential candidate or former president.

His strong remarks come on the heels of intelligence reports suggesting possible threats from Tehran targeting his life, following two recent assassination attempts.

Speaking at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Trump addressed these threats directly, stating, “As you know, there have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve Iran. But possibly they do.” Trump suggested that Iran could be behind these plots, although definitive proof has not yet been made public.

He proposed an aggressive course of action should Iran be implicated in these assassination plots. “If I were president, I would make it absolutely clear to Iran that any harm to this individual would be met with the total destruction of their major cities and the country as a whole,” Trump emphasized, hinting at a potential full-scale military response.

The former president underscored the seriousness of these threats, stating that both he and the United States had been “directly threatened by Iran.”

He insisted that a strong message should be delivered to Tehran, signaling that any attacks on current or former U.S. presidents, or presidential candidates, would trigger devastating consequences for Iran.

“The most effective course of action is for the sitting president to unequivocally declare that any attack on a former president or candidate will result in that nation being reduced to rubble,” Trump said firmly.

Adding to the tension, Trump criticized the fact that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was present in New York this week, attending the United Nations General Assembly with significant security measures provided by the U.S. government.

“It’s strange that, even with the threats against me, we’re providing security for the Iranian president in New York,” Trump commented.

Under international treaties and U.S. law, the United States is required to extend security to foreign dignitaries attending the United Nations General Assembly.

However, Trump’s remarks reflect his dissatisfaction with this situation, given the ongoing threats against him.

These comments from the former president come at a time when tensions in the Middle East are running high.

Leaders around the world are working to prevent the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah from escalating into a larger regional war.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to deny accusations that it has been involved in assassination plots against Trump or other U.S. figures.

In July 2024, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, killing one person and injuring others. While the attack was not directly linked to Iran, suspicions about foreign involvement have surfaced.

Days later, Trump posted a stern warning on social media, declaring that if Iran were to succeed in killing him, the United States should “wipe Iran off the face of the Earth.”

A U.S. Senate report later highlighted security concerns during the Pennsylvania rally, noting that Secret Service counter-sniper teams had been deployed due to “credible intelligence” of a potential threat. On Wednesday, Trump speculated that the assailant in Pennsylvania might have used foreign technology to carry out the attack, and he also raised concerns about a second assassination attempt in Florida.

According to Trump, the Florida attacker possessed multiple mobile phones, which U.S. authorities have not yet been able to unlock.

Trump called on tech companies like Apple to assist in investigations, urging them to unlock the phones and access the apps, potentially connected to foreign entities.

“They need to get Apple to open these foreign apps and the six phones from the second lunatic,” Trump said, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

On the same day, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the assassination attempts, calling them “abhorrent” and an attack on the nation’s democracy. “Our nation has faced two assassination attempts on the former President in just the last few months. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Garland stated.

He assured the public that the Justice Department would take all necessary steps to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable. “We will not tolerate violence that undermines the core of our democracy. This must stop,” Garland added.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have remained high since 2020, when Trump, as president, ordered a strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Since then, U.S. intelligence services have reported multiple threats, including cyberattacks against both Trump and his political rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, which are believed to be backed by Iran.

In August, U.S. authorities announced that they had disrupted a plot involving a Pakistani national allegedly linked to Tehran, aimed at assassinating a U.S. official in retaliation for Soleimani’s death.

As the situation continues to develop, the potential for further escalation between the U.S. and Iran remains a critical point of concern for policymakers and security experts alike.

(With files from AFP)