President Donald Trump may have resigned, but the belligerent foreign policy that made him a disgraceful figure among America’s enemies seems to remain with the president and top former administration officials.
This week, China and Iran imposed sanctions on Trump, and on Thursday, Iranian state-run media even hinted that the country still intends to take revenge on the former president over his “maximum pressure” on Tehran.
The tweet was later shared by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his own threat.
U.S. rivals – particularly China and Iran – have regularly issued sharp announcements from Trump and other key administration officials over the past four years, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump allies say this is proof that the government’s strategies to curb and undermine dictatorial regimes are working.
Both Beijing and Tehran hope the election of President Joe Biden will be a more co-operative US strategy, but in the meantime appear to be continuing public criticism of Trump and his outgoing government.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on Tuesday that a number of US officials would be approved for their role in the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani, alleged involvement in the assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. and their general “support for deeds.” of terrorism “and economic sanctions against Iran.
Among the targets are Trump, Pompeo, former acting defense minister, Christopher Miller, former treasury minister Steven Mnuchin, former CIA director Gina Haspel, and former Iranian special envoy Elliot Abrams.
Officials already on the list included former national security adviser John Bolton, former Iranian envoy Brian Hook and former defense minister Mark Esper.
The sanctions – such as several Iranian legal challenges brought against the Trump administration in recent years – are symbolic and will have no bearing on the said officials, as there are no business interests within the country.
China took similar steps on the day of Biden’s inauguration, and ended four years of reliable ties between Beijing and Washington, DC, through trade disputes, territorial disputes, human rights issues and the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the sanctions because Biden had been sworn in. It is said that Pompeo and 27 other top officials – including former commercial chief Peter Navarro; former national security advisers Robert O’Brien and John Bolton; Health Secretary Alex Azar; United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft; and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon – would not be allowed to do business in China or Hong Kong or Macau.
Pompeo and the others, the ministry claimed, “planned, promoted and carried out a series of crazy moves, seriously interfered in China’s domestic affairs, undermined China’s interests, insulted the Chinese people and seriously disrupted relations between China and the US. . ‘
Iranian leader Khamenei pushed the issue further on Thursday, reproducing an image shared by the Tasnim News Agency showing Trump playing golf in the shadow of a military plane. The caption warned: “Revenge is inevitable.”
Khamenei shared the image and wrote: “Vengeance should be taken on those who ordered the assassination of General Soleimani, as well as those who carried it.”
Top Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened retaliation for the US assassination of Soleimani, which took place in January 2020 via a drone in Baghdad.
Soleimani was the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ secret Quds Force, and responsible for Iranian foreign military activities. This included building and coordinating Tehran’s powerful regional network of proxy militias. Soleimani was a confidant of Khamenei and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful men of the regime.
The legacy of the Soleimani assassination could undermine Biden’s efforts to thaw ties with Tehran and revive the joint nuclear action plan.
Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was shouted at by angry conservative lawmakers who condemned him for signaling to the US that he was open to new talks, a few days after the first anniversary of Soleimani’s assassination.
ALEX EDELMAN / AFP via Getty Images / Getty