Trump endorses op-ed urging Iran hardliners' killing; Tehran calls it moral failure

US President Donald Trump has made his position on Iran unmistakably tough by openly supporting a Washington Post op-ed that challenges the idea of rushing into any deal, even killing the leaders who oppose compromising.

On Thursday, Trump reposted Marc Thiessen’s piece on Truth Social and summed up his view in two words: "Very true!!!" The writer put the controversial idea directly on the table: “If there are two factions in Iran, one that wants a deal and one that doesn't, let's kill the ones who don't want a deal.”

Trump didn’t just like the article. He also reposted Thiessen’s post from X on his social media platform, pushing the same brutal logic.

It’s explosive. And Tehran is furious.

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, posted on X that America now seemed to be championing "terrorism, murder, and mass violence" instead of its traditional values.

"The President of the United States has reposted a statement from an individual openly calling for 'killing the ones who don't want a deal.' The United States, which once presented itself as a cradle of democracy, freedom, and human values, now appears to become a promoter of terrorism, murder, and mass violence. What should one call this, if not a profound moral failure?" he wrote on X.

WHY TRUMP IS PLAYING HARD BALL

Trump had just extended the ceasefire a few days ago, calling Iran’s government "seriously fractured" and giving them extra time to sort out a unified proposal. Many in Tehran thought that showed weakness -- that Trump was desperate to avoid resuming the war. Thiessen’s column says that thinking is dead wrong.

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