Ex-US official: Trump’s anti-Iran remarks rhetorical

Talking to IRNA, Larry Wilkerson, a retired United States Army Colonel and former chief of staff to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, rejected any possibility of military encounter between Iran and the US in the Persian Gulf.

Touching upon Trump’s military policy in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, he described Trump as an unpredictable person.

He also predicted that Trump team are seeking to expand their military presence in the east of Asia and the Indian Ocean.

On the influence of the Zionist lobby in Washington, he said US is seeking to increase its military presence in the Middle East aimed at exerting more military pressure on Iran.

On the possible military confrontation between Iran and the US regarding Trump’s rhetoric against Iran, he said most of Trump’s anti-Iran remarks are rhetoric.

He underlined that these remarks should not be taken too seriously.

Pointing to the recent encounter between US warships and Iranian speed boats in the Persian Gulf, he said both the Iranian and US navies are professional and they probably know how to walk beyond these incidents.

On US-Zionist regime relations, he underlined that Israel lacks any strategic importance for the US, but due to the US long-term relationship with the Jewish community, Congress and the White House continue their support for Israel.

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