Trump says US to destroy Iran in case of his assassination

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has evoked the potential annihilation of Iran in a recent social media post, reminiscent of his most controversial statements from his presidency.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If they do ‘assassinate President Trump,’ which is always a possibility, I hope that America obliterates Iran, wipes it off the face of the Earth. If that does not happen, American leaders will be considered ‘gutless’ cowards!” Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Trump’s remarks were accompanied by a brief video of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussing alleged Iranian plots against Trump during his address to Congress.

US media reported last week that the Secret Service had increased security for Trump following intelligence about an Iranian plot to kill him. This plot, however, was not connected to a recent incident where a 20-year-old American fired shots during a Trump campaign rally. According to CNN, US authorities received information from a "human source" about Tehran's plan to target the former president, prompting heightened protection measures.

Trump’s post echoes a controversial 2019 threat made during his presidency, where he warned of the “obliteration” of Iran if it attacked any American assets.