TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump must know that it is the people and not “beautiful military equipment” that rule the world. 

"Beautiful military equipment does not rule the world: people do,” Zarif said in response to Trump who had threatened  to pound Iran forcefully if Iranians went ahead with their promise to take “harsh revenge” for the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. air raid in Baghdad on January  3.

Trump warned late on January 4 that the U.S. would hit Iran "harder than they have ever been hit before!" Trump followed up with another tweet, saying the U.S. would use its "brand new beautiful" military equipment "without hesitation" if the Iranians retaliate.

To restore its national pride, the IRGC Aerospace Force fired 13 ballistic missiles early January 8 at the U.S. Ain al-Assad airbase in southwestern Iraq. It was the first direct attack on the U.S. military since the Second World War.

In relevant remarks at a speech at Tehran Dialogue Forum on January 7, Zarif said that the ultimate expulsion of the U.S. from West Asia is the doomed fate of Washington's unbridled exploitation of the tools of war, sanctions, and assassination.

"The path chosen by the U.S. for itself and the region is characterized by insecurity, war and bloodshed. But, Iran, as the unified voice arising from the heart of every child of this ancient and proud land, heralds peace and quiet for the region," Zarif added.

"The U.S. will receive the definitive resolute response to its brazen, criminal act in a place and at a time it hurts most," he said at the time.

MJ/PA