Trump: "If Iran hits Qatar again, we will completely destroy its gas fields"

Korea Economic Daily

Summary

President Trump said he warned that if Iran attacks Qatar’s LNG facilities again, he would destroy Iran’s South Pars gas field on a massive scale.
The remarks came amid a chain of attacks on an Iranian gas field and Qatar’s national critical gas facility, suggesting the possibility of further military action.
Trump said Qatar was not involved in Israel’s attack on the South Pars gas field and argued that Iran’s attack on Qatar’s LNG gas facilities was unjustified.

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U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he would destroy Iran’s gas fields if Iran attacks Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities again.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social on the 18th (local time), Trump said, "There will be no further Israeli attacks on the South Pars gas field unless Iran attacks the very innocent Qatar again."

He warned, "If such a situation (an additional Iranian attack on Qatar) occurs, the United States will, regardless of whether Israel helps or agrees, destroy the entire South Pars gas field on a massive scale with a level of force Iran has never seen or experienced before."

He added, "I do not want to authorize violence and destruction at this level given the long-term impact it would have on Iran’s future, but I will not hesitate if Qatar’s LNG facilities are attacked again."

Earlier, Israel bombed South Pars, Iran’s largest gas field, as well as a natural gas processing complex in Asaluyeh on Iran’s southwestern coast that is directly linked to it.

Iran immediately retaliated. Qatar’s Ministry of Interior announced that Iran’s attack caused a fire at a national critical gas facility in the Ras Laffan area on Qatar’s northern coast.

Meanwhile, regarding Israel’s attack on South Pars, Trump claimed, "The United States knew nothing about this attack," adding, "Qatar was not involved in any way. Iran unjustly attacked Qatar’s LNG gas facilities."

Kim Soo-young, Hankyung.com reporter swimmingk@hankyung.com