Trump threatens cultural sites in Iran

[KarbalaWarrior]

The Pentagon is distancing itself from President Donald Trump’s assertions that he would bomb Iranian cultural sites

By

LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press

January 6, 2020, 9:30 PM

4 min read

 

FILE — In this Jan. 19, 2019 file photo the shrine of Iran's revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini is seen, just outside of Tehran, Iran. The ancient and rich cultural landscape of Iran has become a potential U.S. military target as Washington and Tehran stumble toward a possible open conflict. Iran, home to 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites, has in the past reportedly guarded the sprawling tomb complex of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, with surface-to-air missiles. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon on Monday distanced itself from President Donald Trump’s assertions that he would bomb Iranian cultural sites despite international prohibitions on such attacks.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. will “follow the laws of armed conflict.” When asked if that ruled out targeting cultural sites, Esper said pointedly, “That’s the laws of armed conflict.”

The split between the president and his Pentagon chief came amid heightened tensions with Tehran following a U.S. drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force. Trump had twice warned that he would hit Iranian cultural sites if Tehran retaliates against the U.S.

Esper’s public comments reflected the private concerns of other defense and military officials, who cited legal prohibitions on attacks on civilian, cultural and religious sites, except under certain, threatening circumstances.

Trump first raised the prospect of targeting cultural sites in a tweet on Saturday and reiterated that view to reporters the next day.

“We have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD," he tweeted.

His Twitter message caught administration officials off-guard and prompted an immediate outcry from legal scholars, national security experts and Democratic lawmakers. But the president stood by his threat the following day.

“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people,” he told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One. “And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way.”

By international law, however, it does.

Specifically, the 1954 Hague Convention says nations must “take all possible steps” to protect cultural property and shall refrain “from any act of hostility, directed against such property.” It also says nations must not use cultural sites for any threatening purposes that would make such locations a military target.

The Pentagon has long had a list of potential targets both inside Iran as well as those associated with Iran throughout the Middle East. Those targets and war plans are routinely updated, including during the recent uptick in hostilities.

Officials won’t discuss the list, but it is certain to include an array of Iranian military sites and capabilities, including missile, air defense and command and control locations.

Any targets would go through a lengthy vetting process within the military and the Pentagon to determine that they are legal, appropriate and proportionate to any Iranian action. Only after that process is complete would a list of potential sites go before the president for approval.

Outside the Pentagon, Trump's threats were met with condemnation.

“It shows that he is somewhat deranged about this," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. “The pledge to attack cultural sites, likely, is a violation of international law.”

Kaine said that all Trump is doing “is escalating tensions and he seems to believe, 'I can strike you, but you can't strike me.' That's not the way the world works.” He added that Trump needs to confer with Congress.

The threats also drew reaction from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

“The targeting of sites of global cultural heritage is abhorrent to the collective values of our society,” museum leaders said in a statement. "At this challenging time, we must remind ourselves of the global importance of protecting cultural sites – the objects and places by which individuals, communities, and nations connect to their history and heritage.

Ahead of Esper’s comments, other administration officials tried to make clear that the U.S. would follow the law without directly contradicting the president.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said that any U.S. military strikes inside Iran would be legal.

“We'll behave inside the system,” Pompeo said. “We always have and we always will.”

———

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Robert Burns and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

[Hameedeh]

Salam. Is the Hague even caring about the US/Israel attacks on Iran? 

[Essentials123]

I don’t think many people care about us. We have to take care of us. It can be scary but we have to trust the will and power of Allah and do our best to pray for a good outcome for Islam. 

[Hameedeh]

Salam. After attacking Iran and martyring Ayatullah Khamenei RA and some of his family members, as well as other government officials on February 28, 2026, president Trump gave a televised speech from the White House on April 1, telling the American people that his bombing campaign against Iran would continue: "We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong." 

On April 5, 2026, which was Easter in the US, and he is supposedly a Christian and even met with at least one pope in the past, he "truthed" a message on his "truth" social site that was full of profanity and cannot be repeated onair, although CNN online did reveal what he wrote. 

On April 7, 2026, Trump said "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." Etc.....

People are fed up with his threats and profanity. Some news people, podcasters and comedians are saying he shows signs of dementia. 

 

[Essentials123]

Not too related but I spent about 24-25 hours drawing 165 backpacks to represent the schoolgirls murdered in the US strike on Minab, Iran. Then I colored them with pastels and graphite pencils. It is on an 18 inch by 24 inch canvas. I now know there were 168 girls murdered but at the time of organizing the space on the canvas I had the wrong information hence 165. Anyways, I posted it on social media (Instagram) and boosted the post to raise awareness to thousands of people. Less than 24 hours later my boosted post was shut down.. On my end I was notified there was a policy violation on "Ads about Social Issues, Elections, or Politics."

[PureExistence1]

A little off subject but i saw a Tucker carlson video showing trump didnt put his hand on the bible when he was inaugurated. Something no other US president has ever not done...weird.

[Essentials123]

4 minutes ago, PureExistence1 said:

weird.

Definitely, that is weird. Past of the reason why Trump isn't listening to the Pope's message that this warmongering in the Middle East is wrong is because the Evangelicals probably don't respect the Catholic authority. But also perhaps Trump isn't Christian at all. Funny, if he didn't believe in Christianity why wouldn't he just go along with the show and put his hand on the Bible while swearing in. If he didn't believe it wouldn't mean anything to him. This raises the question, does Christianity anger Trump? 

[Panzerwaffe]

What has the pope said about Sudan ? 
 

[Hamdi999]

On 4/17/2026 at 3:46 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

What has the pope said about Sudan ? 

He said this:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pope-leo-decries-sudan-violence-urges-dialogue-and-relief-effort/article70232957.ece

Is your comment supposed to be one of these comments that try and discredit people criticizing americas/israels horrible behaviour by asking "what about sudan?" when you probably don't care about sudan? 

Just asking, this is the feeling I got from your comment, as I see a lot of conservatives do this to shut down any criticism of israel/america. That and your history of similar comments. Hope you could be honest with me. 

[Panzerwaffe]

On 4/18/2026 at 8:01 PM, Hamdi999 said:

He said this:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pope-leo-decries-sudan-violence-urges-dialogue-and-relief-effort/article70232957.ece

Is your comment supposed to be one of these comments that try and discredit people criticizing americas/israels horrible behaviour by asking "what about sudan?" when you probably don't care about sudan? 

Just asking, this is the feeling I got from your comment, as I see a lot of conservatives do this to shut down any criticism of israel/america. That and your history of similar comments. Hope you could be honest with me. 

It’s not right or left politics 

This gangster from Chicago is just a Uncle Tom of whites 

the philosophy is the same only criticize when whites are killing non whites ignore trivialize crimes of nonwhites esp those against whites

not to say I ever liked or mildly approved of satanyahoo but criticism of him is only because he is percieved as a white colonizer not because there is any motivation to highlite the biggest crimes of yahudis of all time the Bolshevik movement because the victims were whites ofcourse 

[Hamdi999]

On 4/19/2026 at 10:54 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

It’s not right or left politics 

This gangster from Chicago is just a Uncle Tom of whites 

????

On 4/19/2026 at 10:54 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

the philosophy is the same only criticize when whites are killing non whites ignore trivialize crimes of nonwhites esp those against whites

That's not even remotley true. Thats why most pro palestinians are also criticizing the UAE and the rsf in sudan for their genocide. 

On 4/19/2026 at 10:54 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

not to say I ever liked or mildly approved of satanyahoo but criticism of him is only because he is percieved as a white colonizer

Yeah no, thats a lie. You even admit it yourself by saying you don't aprove of him. Hes the worst subhuman on this planet alive today. People all over the world hate him because hes a subhuman orc who kills women and children like it's a sport. 

 

The second ones to his cancerous colony, being the RSF in sudan/UAE with how they hang women and children in trees. Atleast theyre honest about their subhuman degeneracy, unlike israelis who play mind tricks on you to gaslight you. 

 

I assure you, no one, other than some dumb liberals living in a bubble in america hates him for being a "white colonizer". 

 

stop making everything about race when it's not needed. 

On 4/19/2026 at 10:54 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

not because there is any motivation to highlite the biggest crimes of yahudis of all time the Bolshevik movement because the victims were whites ofcourse 

I'm pretty sure some genocides being done today are way more relevant than some genocide that might or might not have happened 100 years ago. There is a reason why I don't care about the holocaust either, I care about my people being ethnically cleansed. 

These [edit] just erased my village in the last few weeks, that to me is more relevant than some random russian 100 years ago. 

Edited April 21 by Hameedeh
Profanity removed

[Panzerwaffe]

1 hour ago, Hamdi999 said:

????

That's not even remotley true. Thats why most pro palestinians are also criticizing the UAE and the rsf in sudan for their genocide. 

Yeah no, thats a lie. You even admit it yourself by saying you don't aprove of him. Hes the worst subhuman on this planet alive today. People all over the world hate him because hes a subhuman orc who kills women and children like it's a sport. 

 

The second ones to his cancerous colony, being the RSF in sudan/UAE with how they hang women and children in trees. Atleast theyre honest about their subhuman degeneracy, unlike israelis who play mind tricks on you to gaslight you. 

 

I assure you, no one, other than some dumb liberals living in a bubble in america hates him for being a "white colonizer". 

 

stop making everything about race when it's not needed. 

I'm pretty sure some genocides being done today are way more relevant than some genocide that might or might not have happened 100 years ago. There is a reason why I don't care about the holocaust either, I care about my people being ethnically cleansed. 

These fu***ers just erased my village in the last few weeks, that to me is more relevant than some random russian 100 years ago. 

Thats right just cry about suffering of your kind 

ignore trivialize and doubt everyone else’s  “ some random Russian “ wow what contempt for fellow humans ! Oh that’s right they are just animals in your eyes 

much like the chosen people 

same people just different religions, same narcissistic tendencies 

I don’t have a dog ( or pig ) in this fight 

Generally  speaking I abhors human suffering esp innocent ones 

approve of him ? He’s a right wing corrupt politician who panders to the orthodox nut jobs in his country

yeah im no fan of him to put it mildly  

Palestinians should have their own state I fully support but let’s not lose perspective that was never the greatest crisis in modern history but both Israelis and Arabs keep dragging the rest of world into it 

 

Edited April 21 by Panzerwaffe

[Hameedeh]

On 4/19/2026 at 10:54 PM, Panzerwaffe said:

This gangster from Chicago is just a Uncle Tom of whites 

Who are you referring to? 

[Panzerwaffe]

1 minute ago, Hameedeh said:

Who are you referring to? 

The leader of mushrikeen who is all of a sudden a hero of some deranged group just because he is trying to be a social justice warrior on weekends 

[Hameedeh]

2 minutes ago, Panzerwaffe said:

The leader of mushrikeen who is all of a sudden a hero of some deranged group just because he is trying to be a social justice warrior on weekends 

This topic is about Trump and Pope.

[Panzerwaffe]

1 minute ago, Hameedeh said:

This topic is about Trump and Pope.

Right just trying to point out the double standards of the Pope 

[Hamdi999]

10 hours ago, Panzerwaffe said:

Thats right just cry about suffering of your kind 

ignore trivialize and doubt everyone else’s  “ some random Russian “ wow what contempt for fellow humans ! Oh that’s right they are just animals in your eyes 

much like the chosen people 

same people just different religions, same narcissistic tendencies 

I don’t have a dog ( or pig ) in this fight 

You should try and embarrass yourself less. It's obvious you've never had your familly slaugthered and your villages rased that you speak like this and act this arrogantly. 

If I were narcissistic, I wouldn't even support this war against israel, I would only care about my people, yet here I am advocating for it when many lebanese christian fascists and salafis are whining about it and saying "we have nothing to do with palestinians". 

My point still remains, what happened 100 years ago is irrelevant, that's like asking me to cry about some massacre that took place 500 years ago, it's irrelevant and it's especially disgusting to tell someone that's greiving for their village being erased and their people being butchered to cry about something that happened 100 years ago. It's as entitled as zionists telling me I should cry about the holocaust.

But it's ok, how dare I focus more on losing the place I grew up in and people I know being butchered, than some russian guy from 100 years ago I never knew or never met, are you actually high? 

Point is, whats happening now is much more relevant, you should be ashamed of yourself for twisting my argument like this when it's supposed to be a basic common sense argument that everyone agrees with, including you, despite your virtue signaling. But since you love arguing, you have to resort to these mental gymnastics. 

10 hours ago, Panzerwaffe said:

Generally  speaking I abhors human suffering esp innocent ones 

Clearly not, you seem to only care about race. All you do is whine about race and some nonexistent or barely existant hypocrisy in the muslim world and you keep changing the subject on sensitive topics like this, because god forbid people criticize crimes being done by the perfect west. Hence the ignorant "what about sudan" comment, despite the pope actually speaking against it and most of the pro palestinians calling out the sudan genocide and even calling a boycott of the UAE for it. 

This "what about sudan" comment is a common right wing pro israeli argument to shutdown criticizms of the US government and it's proxies. That argument is also an incarnation of the "what about yemen" argument, funny enough the right wingers suddenly stopped caring about yemen the moment america and israel started bombing them, they quickly jumped ship and started pretending to care about sudan. It's a pathetic attempt at finding some non barely existant hypocrisy to shut down conversations. 

 

You shlould be ashamed of yourself for this. For your sake to not be embarrassed further, please find a better hobby than to obsess over trivial things like race. 

Edited April 22 by Hamdi999