National security adviser John Bolton warned Iran at a Sunday press conference in Israel not to mistake President Trump’s recent decision not to strike back against them.
“Neither Iran nor any other hostile actor should mistake U.S. prudence and discretion for weakness,” Bolton said. “No one has granted them a hunting license in the Middle East.” Bolton is in Israel for a Tuesday meeting with security advisers from Russia and Israel. He was set to privately meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu afterwards.
Bolton also confirmed in the press conference that the United States will be going forward with further sanctions on Iran, which will be announced Monday. He further stated, “As we meet, threats to international peace and security in the Middle East and around the world are on the rise … Iran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons; its threats to exceed the limits set in the failed nuclear deal in the coming days; its continuing buildup of menacing Quds Force capabilities in Syria and Iraq; its supply of sophisticated drones, missiles and other advanced weapons to hostile surrogate forces in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan; and continued threat and acts of aggression against Israel, our allies in the Arabian Gulf and against U.S. personal and assets across the Middle East, are not signs of a nation seeking peace.”
Bolton described the economic sanctions against Iran as ‘biting’ and reiterated that Iran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Netanyahu asserted that the increased aggression from Iran stemming from 2015 was a major concern for Israel and several neighboring nations, but praised the Trump administration for recent promises to increase pressure, saying, “I was pleased to hear President Trump make clear yesterday that pressure will continue, and that pressure will increase.”
