Iran

Trump Administration Says It’s Putting Iran ‘on Notice’ Following Missile Test

... launch and for what he called Iran’s threatening and destabilizing actions in support of Houthi rebels seeking to overthrow a U. S.-backed government in Yemen. The statement marked the new administration’s first public foray into an issue on which Trump had promised to take a hard line. It followed U. S. military ground action Saturday against al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen — the first counterterrorism mission approved by Trump — in which a U. S. service member was killed. Flynn said Iran had been “emboldened” by “weak and effective” U. N. and Obama administration policies, including agreements such as the 2015 deal designed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. 9 foreign policy issues the Trump administration will have to face View Graphic. 9 foreign policy issues the Trump administration ...

White House Warns Iran But Plans No Immediate New Action

... for Houthi rebels in Yemen. Win Mc Namee/Getty Images hide caption. toggle caption. Win Mc Namee/Getty Images. White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn (right) put "Iran on notice" on Wednesday for a recent missile test and support for Houthi rebels in Yemen. Win Mc Namee/Getty Images. The White House issued a sharp warning to Iran on Wednesday over what it called recent provocations, but officials said the United States is not taking any immediate military or other action to follow up. National Security Adviser Mike Flynn appeared at the daily press briefing to deliver a prepared statement that listed Washington's latest grievances with Tehran, including its test of a ballistic missile and attacks by proxy forces in Yemen on American and Middle Eastern ships. Flynn said President Obama had gone too easy on Iran, but that all would stop with President Trump. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said. A senior administration official told reporters later in the day that the White House is prepared to respond to Iran with ...

With Flynn Putting Iran ‘on Notice,’ The First Days Of President Trump’s Foreign Policy Set A Combative Tone

... during the Vietnam War as a way for diplomats of all ranks to convey disagreement with foreign policy decisions. The communications are typically confidential and may be done anonymously. “They should either get with the program or they can go,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. He later said diplomats have a right to raise concerns. One of Tillerson’s chief outside backers, former defense secretary Robert M. Gates, said Sunday that the immigration order is likely to make his friend’s job harder. Gates, a Republican who recommended Tillerson to Trump as a dark-horse candidate, is among a long bipartisan list of foreign policy experts who have argued that actions appearing to target Muslims play into the hands of extremists who claim that the United States is at war with Islam. Tillerson had said at his ...

Trump's Moves Don't Embolden Isis, Iran

... top brass remained as skeptical as ever of the deal. During the campaign, Trump railed against the agreement to offer Iran sanctions relief in exchange for measures aimed at ensuring it stood down on nuclear weapons development. And retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a supporter now serving as national security adviser, made his disdain for the deal a mainstay of his public appearances. On Wednesday, Flynn said the United States was putting Iran "officially on notice" after a missile test, saying from the White House briefing room: "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions.". Gorka said whether or not the administration pulled out of the deal, Iran would continue to act in opposition to the United States. "The idea that this would make a big difference hither or yon is fallacious," Gorka said. Gorka also offered some details about his role in the White House, as part of a group whose immediate function was not yet clear. A report from "The ...

Tech Snafu Keeps Reporters Out Of White House Conference Call On Iran

... room. On the call — which the White House had initially said would be limited to 75 lines — reporters heard an echo chamber of “Hello? Hello?” as other journalists joined the conference. At times, a female voice could be heard singing Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 chart-topper “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” but the actual briefing was unintelligible. At times, the voices of officials could be heard distantly, but more often nothing could be heard from the White House. Dial-in information was provided just minutes before the briefing was scheduled to begin. The call was intended to provide clarity on Flynn’s announcement, which provided scant details about what “put Iran on notice” meant practically. “Recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran’s destabilizing behavior across the Middle East,” Flynn said. “As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.”. 1 day. Report: Trump lashes out at. Trump reportedly told close ally Malcolm Turnbull that "this was the worst. ...

White House Puts Iran 'on Notice' After Missile Test And Houthi Attack On Saudi Ship

... Tuesday. Separately, Houthi rebels launched a suicide boat attack Monday against a Saudi Arabian military frigate as it transited off Yemen’s western coast in the Red Sea, killing two crew members and wounding three others. The Houthis, a Shiite Muslim group backed by Iranian money and weapons, have been locked in a war with a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen since 2015 when they forced the country’s U. S.-backed president into exile and quickly swept across the Arab world's poorest nation. Three boats packed with explosives attacked the frigate, which was carrying 176 people, according a coalition statement, but the vessel was able to continue operating. The Houthis said a guided missile hit the Saudi frigate, not explosives-packed boats. Footage released by Houthis showed a fiery explosion. In October, President Obama authorized a U. S. Navy destroyer to launch cruise missile attacks against coastal radar sites along the ...

Iran Confirms Missile Test, Drawing Tough Response From Trump Aide

... was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilizing activity" after it fired the missile. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, without explaining exactly what that meant. Flynn said the missile launch defied the U. N. resolution that called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. A U. S. official said Iran had test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after traveling 630 miles (1,010 km). The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new U. S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable". Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran would never use its ballistic missiles to attack another country. Some 220 Iranian members of parliament reaffirmed support for Tehran's ...

The Us May Have To Consider Firing On Iranian Boats After Latest Houthi Attack

... at sea between the US Navy and fast-attack craft of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, at least one of which required the US Navy to open fire with warning shots. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen had a blockbuster 2016, using an anti-ship missile to hit an Emirati naval vessel and then firing a salvo of missiles at US Navy ships in October. The US Navy successfully fended off the Houthi missile attack and retaliated by destroying three radar sites in Houthi-controlled Yemen. At the time, US officials and experts contacted by Business Insider concluded that Iran likely supplied the missiles to the Houthis. But the latest attack on the Saudis may give the US Navy pause in the future. In a questionable video of the attack, people near the camera can be heard shouting "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and "Death to Jews." One Pentagon official told the Washington Examiner that the Houthis may have mistaken the Saudi ship they attacked for a US Navy ship, though another official denied it. In any case, the US Navy frequently deals with Iranian fast-attack craft swarming its vessels and approaching closely. In one case last year, Iranian ...