Iran missile attack: Donald Trump to impose new economic sanctions on Tehran
Donald Trump moves to avert an immediate military escalation with Iran while announcing new economic sanctions.
Donald Trump has moved to avert an immediate military escalation with Iran, saying the US was continuing to review its options while announcing punishing new economic sanctions on Tehran.
The president said Iran appeared to be “standing down’’ after its missile strikes against two bases in Iraq hosting US troops and he confirmed there were no US casualties in the attacks.
“Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world,” Mr Trump said as he delivered an address to the nation flanked by senior military leaders at the White House on Thursday morning (AEST).
“The American people should be extremely grateful and happy. No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime ... and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.’’
Mr Trump began his address to the nation by saying “so long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon’’.
But he also moved to de-escalate tensions and even held out the prospect of eventual peace with Iran if it ended its pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorism.
“To the people and leaders of Iran, we want you to have a future and a great future, one that you deserve,” he said. “One of prosperity at home and harmony with the nations of the world. The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.’’
In his 10-minute address the president did not threaten Iran with further military action but neither did he rule it out, saying the US was “prepared for anything’’.
“As we continue to evaluate options in response to Iranian aggression, the United States will immediately impose additional punishing sanctions on the Iranian regime,’’ he said without outlining what those sanctions would be.
“These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behaviour,” Mr Trump said. “In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia and shot down two US drones.”
“The civilised world must send a clear and unified message to the Iranian regime: Your campaign of terror, murder, mayhem will not be tolerated any longer,” he said. “It will not be allowed to go forward.”
The president urged those other nations still in the Iran nuclear deal to withdraw and help negotiate new and tougher restraints on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He also called on NATO to become more involved in the Middle East process.
Mr Trump’s comments came amid mixed messages from Iran as its Supreme leader warned that the attacks on the al-Asad base and the Irbil base in Iraq were insufficient punishment for the US for its assassination of Iran’s most senior military leader General Qassem Soleimani.
“They were slapped last night, but such military actions are not enough,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday (AEDT).
The previous day Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif suggested that Iran’s military actions were over for now. He said Iran “took and concluded proportionate measures of self-defence’’ in the strikes and that the country did “not seek escalation or war’’.
Mr Trump strongly defended his decision last week to order the targeted killings of General Soleimani in Baghdad, describing him as “the world’s top terrorist’’.
“Soleimani’s hands were drenched in both American and Iranian blood. He should have been terminated long ago,’’ the president said. “By removing Soleimani, we have sent a powerful message to terrorists: If you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of our people.’’
His address came after Iran fired 15 ballistic missiles into Iraq with 10 of them hitting the al-Asad base, one hitting the Irbil base and four missing their targets.
Republican Senator and close Trump ally Lindsey Graham described Mr Trump’s address as a “homerun speech’’ which was “measured and firm’’.
“All Americans should support President Trump’s efforts to resolve the threat from Iran peacefully and fully understand the Maximum Pressure campaign must continue with a credible military component,” Senator Graham said.
Scott Morrison said all Australians in Iraq were safe following the missile attacks. About 300 Australians are deployed in Iraq as part of the global fight against Islamic State terrorists.
“The CDF has been able to confirm to me at this point that all Australian diplomatic personnel and all ADF personnel are safe, but it is obviously a very fluid situation,” the Prime Minister said.
The national security committee of cabinet will meet on Thursday to consider further measures to protect Australian personnel, potentially including a pullout from Iraq.
The Pentagon said it was clear that the missiles were launched from Iran, a sharp contrast to previous attacks on bases in Iraq that have involved short-range rockets fired by pro-Iran militia in Iraq. There are 5000 US troops in Iraq.
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After the attacks, Mr Trump met his national security team, including Defence Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, at the White House to consider how to respond.
The Secret Service boosted security around the White House, with officers armed with assault weapons posted at all checkpoints.
A large-scale military response by the US would bring the two nations close to war, a potentially catastrophic conflict that Mr Trump has said he does not want and which would run contrary to his promise to end US involvement in Middle East wars.
The revolutionary guard warned on Wednesday that if the US attacked targets inside Iran, it would respond by targeting Dubai and Haifa in Israel. It also claimed its next attack against the US would take place inside the US. “This time we will respond to you in America,” it said.
Mr Morrison said he had instructed the Chief of Defence, Angus Campbell, to do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of Australians in Iraq. “It is a matter of protecting and defending those Australians where they are, and working closely with our partners in the region,” he said. The bulk of the Australian personnel in Iraq are believed to be at the Taji Military Complex northwest of Baghdad, as part of a task group training Iraqi security forces.
The ADF contingent includes trainers, force protection, support and command personnel.
Australia evacuated non-essential embassy staff from Baghdad following the deadly drone strike on Soleimani.
Australian special forces are also in the country as part of a Special Operations Task Group, while Australian personnel are embedded with the US military.
“We’re receiving further updates at this point of the precise location of where the strikes have been — that’s still being verified,” Mr Morrison said.
“What I have been advised by the CDF directly is that all Australian personnel at Taji, but as well as the other locations we have there, as well as our diplomatic personnel, at this point are safe, and we will continue to get reports from our people, whether it’s in Taji, Baghdad, or otherwise, to ensure that we’re kept updated on that.”
Canada has announced it will move some of its personnel to Kuwait, but federal government sources said Australia was unlikely to make significant changes to its deployment in the short term.
The attack came ahead of the scheduled departure on Monday of Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba to the Middle East under an international commitment to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. About 15 per cent of Australia’s crude oil travels through the strait, while up to 30 per cent of Australia’s refined fuel is derived from oil that passes through the strait.
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia
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