Skip to main content
Global Edition
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Trump says will obey law to avoid targeting Iranian cultural sites

Duration: 00:52s 0 shares 1 views

Trump says will obey law to avoid targeting Iranian cultural sites
Trump says will obey law to avoid targeting Iranian cultural sites

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would obey international law on avoiding targeting cultural sites in military attacks, walking back a threat he made against Iran days earlier.

Trump on Saturday said the United States has targeted 52 Iranian sites, including ones that are very important to Iranian culture, and would strike if Iran attacks Americans or U.S. assets in response to the U.S. killing of its military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

Attacking cultural sites, though, would break international conventions and treaties, and the threat sparked concern around the world.

Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office as he met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, made clear he would reluctantly abide by international law.

"You know what, if that's what the law is, I like to obey the law.

But think of it: They kill our people, they blow up our people and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions.

But I'm OK with it," he said.

"I will say this: if Iran does anything that they shouldn't be doing, they're going to be suffering the consequences and very strongly," he added.

You might like