Iran ‘unmoved’ by US president's ‘threats’

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA

Iran remains "unmoved by threats", Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said via Twitter on Friday evening.

"Iran unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people," he wrote.

"We'll never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense," he added.

"We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense," Zarif asserted. "Let us see if any of those who complain can make the same statement."

Zarif’s statements came in response to a series of tweets by U.S. President Donald Trump in which he said: "Iran is playing with fire -- they don't appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to them. Not me!"

"Iran has been formally put on notice for firing a ballistic missile," he added. "Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!"

Trump signed an executive order last week that effectively denies entry into the U.S. to immigrants from seven "terror-prone" countries.

The controversial order bars citizens of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. for a 90-day period.

Syrian refugees are barred indefinitely.