- John Limbert, a former US ambassador who was held hostage in Iran in the 1979 crisis, on Monday said he wants "nothing to do" with President Donald Trump's threats toward Iran.
- "I, for one, want no part of the president's posturing about Iran," Limbert told MSNBC. "I certainly want no part of his-whatever decision he takes, such as, for example, killing people or blowing up Persepolis."
- This came after Trump over the weekend threatened to strike 52 Iranian targets if Iran strikes any "Americans" or "American assets." The 52 targets represented the 52 hostages taken during the 1979 hostage crisis.
- Iran has vowed to avenge the killing of its most important military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a drone strike ordered by Trump last week.
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Former US Ambassador John Limbert, who was among dozens of Americans taken hostage by Iranian students in 1979, on Monday said he wants "nothing to do" with President Donald Trump's "posturing" toward Iran following the strike that killed Iran's top general last week.
In an interview with MSNBC, Limbert was asked for his thoughts on threats Trump issued at Iran in tweets over the weekend. Trump warned Iran that if it attacked "Americans" or "American assets" then the US would strike 52 targets, including "Iranian culture" sites, which could constitute a war crime.
Trump said the 52 targets represented the "52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago," alluding to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis at the US Embassy in Tehran that transpired in concert with the Islamic revolution. The crisis resulted in Washington cutting diplomatic ties with Tehran and is one of the central reasons Iran and the US continue to be adversaries.
"I, for one, want no part of the president's posturing about Iran," Limbert said. "I certainly want no part of his-whatever decision he takes, such as, for example, killing people or blowing up Persepolis. So, Mr. President, if you're listening, please don't bother yourself on my account, because I want nothing to do with it."
Limbert went on to say that there seemed to be "no plan" for what would come after the strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, suggesting that Trump did not fully consider the consequences of taking out Iran's most important military leader.
"I have to ask myself, does this president, does he care about Iran or is it his philosophy that he simply wants to undo everything that his predecessor did?" Limbert went on to say, referencing the 2015 nuclear deal orchestrated under former President Barack Obama.
- Read more:
- Iran's 'forceful revenge' against the US is likely to include cyberwarfare, and experts warn that the attacks could be devastating
- Trump has no clear strategy if Iran makes good on its vow to avenge the killing of a top general, experts say
- This map shows where US-Iran tensions have flared in Iraq, which culminated in the strike killing Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani
- How the Trump administration got into a showdown with Iran that could lead to war
Fmr. Amb. John Limbert, one of the 52 Americans taken hostage by Iran in 1979, says "I for one want no part of the president's posturing about Iran."https://t.co/MAdCOBr1ml
- MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 5, 2020