Trump says 1,000 missiles aimed at Iran over threats to assassinate him

US president Donald Trump said that 1,000 missiles are “locked and loaded and aimed at Iran”, warning Tehran would face overwhelming strikes with thousands more to follow if it tries to assassinate him.Trump said orders had already been issued and that the US military would remain prepared for one year, subject to extension, “to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran.” He ended the post with the phrase: “Praise be to Allah!” The warning followed coordinated  sermons and an official statement by Iran’s Friday Prayer Policy Council calling for revenge over the killing of Ali Khamenei.
Trump has been the target of several assassination attempts. During the 2024 presidential election, he was briefed by Biden administration officials regarding “real and specific threats from Iran” to kill him, his campaign said. It was reported this week that Israel had warned Trump of a new Iranian plot.
Even as negotiations continue to end the conflict that erupted on February 28, the United States has stepped up pressure on Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. The Trump administration has demanded that Tehran publicly guarantee the safety of commercial vessels and halt attacks on ships transiting the strategic waterway, warning that there would not be a "good outcome" if it failed to comply. But Tehran has so far refused to issue such an assurance. Instead, Iranian authorities have maintained that the waterway remains under their control and have argued that ships using the route should be subject to Iranian regulations and charges.
Meanwhile,Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said a US decision to ease export controls on the United Arab Emirates amounted to official proof that Abu Dhabi supported Washington’s military operation against Iran. “This is Washington’s official admission and a document of Abu Dhabi’s disgrace,” Gharibabadi wrote on X. “It carries direct international responsibility and legal consequences. The UAE must be held accountable.”  The US Commerce Department said Friday it was upgrading the UAE’s status under export control rules in recognition of its role as a US Major Defense Partner and its support for US national security interests, “including Operation Epic Fury.”