Trump warns Iran over US soldier killing

Amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it will pay a "many times the price" if any US soldier is killed.

In a message on his social media account Truth Social on Monday (July 20), Trump said, "Every time Iran kills a US soldier, they will pay many times the price for that killing."

He said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Daniel Cain and top military officials have been given necessary instructions in this regard.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Qatar have made a joint proposal to reduce tensions between the US and Iran. Anadolu, citing Pakistani government sources, said that both countries have been called on to return to the position before July 9 in order to reopen the path of talks.

The proposal states that Iran will quickly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On the other hand, the US will lift the blockade of Iranian ports and lift the sanctions imposed on the sale of Iranian oil. It has also been proposed to resume the stalled talks through a two-week ceasefire. It is reported that the possible meeting could be held in Islamabad or Doha.

On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pajhwok said that his country is currently in a "full-scale war" with the United States and that the countrymen must be prepared to accept the natural consequences of this resistance.

He also claimed that in none of the 14 articles of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United States, Iran has renounced its rights, principles, national interests or revolutionary values. Rather, a large part of the agreement has gone in Iran's favor.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf criticized the United States, saying that on the one hand, Washington is talking about ending the war, while on the other hand, it is deploying new military equipment in the Middle East. He said that words must match actions and Iran is aware of the US strategy.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon said that two US soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack in Jordan last Friday. They are Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan (25) and Private Isabella Gonzales (19). They were serving in the US campaign against the Islamic State (IS).

The US Central Command said the two soldiers were killed while intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles and drones in Jordan. This brings the total number of US service members killed in the ongoing conflict surrounding Iran to 17.

According to analysts, although US troops are not directly stationed in Iran, they are at significant risk in the ongoing conflict due to their presence in various countries in the Middle East.

Source: Express Tribune