ANALYSIS.
Stern warning to Iran: 'President Trump is not going to be forever patient'
NATO ambassador warns the Ayatollahs' Regime that "the ball is in their court" to avoid an attack by stopping the massacre of protesters and ceasing its nuclear endeavor.
Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, and Donald Trump.
"President Trump will not be patient forever." With these blunt words warned Matt Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO to the Ayatollahs' Regime that "the ball is in their court" if they want to avoid an attack. To that end, Ali Khamenei should stop the massacre of protesters and cease his nuclear endeavor.
Whitaker reminded that the "armada that is sitting off the coast of Iran" is not there on vacation. The diplomat defined it as "a show of force" and an "escape route" at the same time. With the presence of the U.S. fleet and military so close, along with warnings, Iranian leaders "could de-escalate very easily and simply."
"The president has been very clear about Iran ... you can't have a nuclear weapon, and you need to stop killing protesters in your streets. That's a pretty clear red line. We'll see. The ball is in their court. But you know, President Trump is not going to be forever patient on this."
Iran "is seriously negotiating"
In addition, Whitaker noted that Trump's goal is not to destabilize the region through threats and shows of force.
Trump himself insisted that Iran "is negotiating seriously" and was optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement without the need to resort to force.
Iran plays with fire: denies "ultimatum" and summons European ambassadors
After Iranian lawmakers shouted "death" at the US and Israel and declared European armies terrorist organizations, Tehran has convened the ambassadors of European Union countries following the supranational body's declaration of declaring the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group.
According to Iranian diplomacy spokesman Esmail Baqai, "yesterday [Sunday] and today [Monday], representatives of all EU member states with embassies in Tehran have been summoned to the Foreign Ministry."
"This is a minimum measure" before other retaliatory measures are announced soon, Baqai added at a press conference attended by AFP.
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