Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani took to Twitter to respond to President Trump’s threat to attack 52 targets in Iran.
On 5 January, US President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliating for the killing of its top military commander Soleimani, saying that otherwise Washington would strike 52 sites in the Islamic Republic “very fast and very hard.” He explained that the targets represented the 52 Americans who were held hostage in Iran in 1979.
Those who refer to the number 52 should also remember the number 290. #IR655
Never threaten the Iranian nation.— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 6, 2020
Rouhani’s reference to the number 290 has to do with the number of people killed by the U.S. Navy during their attack on an Iranian commercial airplane.
Iran Air Flight 655 was flying within the Islamic Republic’s airspace when a U.S. naval vessel shot down the aircraft, killing over 290 on board.
Last Friday, the US carried out a drone strike on Baghdad international airport, killing Iran’s Major General Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and 10 more people who were in the convoy.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that if Tehran attacks US assets in retaliation for the killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Washington will strike 52 sites in Iran “very fast and very hard.”
