Washington threatened both Iran and Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” during a ceremony held on Monday at the Marine Barracks in Washington to honor 241 US Service members killed in the 1983 bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut.
White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said that those who stood behind the attack in Lebanon 34 years ago were now leaders of the “Hezbollah” party.
US Vice President Mike Pence was also present at the ceremony.
The White House security adviser said that Iran planned the terrorist attacks in order to foil peace efforts, adding that the whole world should confront Tehran and its agents.
He said servicemen and women were killed in the “mass murder” carried out at the behest of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
For his part, Pence said that the “brutal act that brings us here today was planned and perpetrated by the terrorists of ‘Hezbollah’.”
He said that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the US redoubled its commitment to cripple “Hezbollah’s” terrorist network and bring its leaders to justice.
Pence said that Iran’s theocratic rulers aided and abetted the Beirut bombers 34 years ago, adding that the Iranian regime continues to funnel funds and weapons to its terrorist minions, with the goal of shedding blood and sowing chaos throughout the wider world.
“President Donald Trump has put Iran on notice that we will no longer tolerate their destabilizing activities or their support of terrorism across the region and across the world,” he said.
Meanwhile in Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani defended the regional role played by his country, as well as its development of ballistic missiles.
Rouhani said his country’s position in the Middle East had never been stronger.
“In Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, northern Africa, in the Persian Gulf region – where can action be taken without Iran?” he said.
