President Trump walked back his threat to hit Iranian cultural sites in response to any attack on a U.S. target.
Trump told reporters Tuesday afternoon that the United States would follow applicable laws when engaging in armed conflict with Iran. Trump’s statement comes after Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that targeting cultural sites is a war crime.
“They are allowed to kill our people. They are allowed to maim our people. They are allowed to blow up everything that we have, and there is nothing that stops them,” Trump said. “We are, according to various laws, supposed to be very careful with their cultural heritage. And you know what, if that’s what the law is, I like to obey the law.”
Trump threatened to order strikes against 52 Iranian sites, “some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture,” in a tweet on Saturday. Trump made the threat after Iran promised retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The president repeated the threat the next day, saying: “They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way.”
