US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that the Iran regime must abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, stop spreading terror, death, and destruction, and start working for the good of its own people.
"In recent months, we have seen proud Irans raise their voice against their oppressive rulers. Because of our powerful sanctions, the Iran economy is doing very poorly. We can help them make it very good in a short period of time, but perhaps they are too proud or too foolish to ask for that help. We are here. Let's see which road they choose. It is totally up to them," the president said at the annual State of Union address earlier today.
The remarks were made when the President introduced the wife and son of Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Hake, who was killed in a roadside bomb attack on the eve of Easter Sunday of 2008.
The terrorist responsible for killing Sergeant Hake was Qasem Soleim, said Trump, adding who had provided for the deadly roadside bomb that took Chris's life.
"As the world's top terrorist, Soleim orchestrated the deaths of countless men, women, and children. He directed the December assault on United States Forces in Iraq, and was actively planning new attacks. That is why, last month, at my direction, the United States Military executed a flawless precision strike that killed Soleim and terminated his evil reign of terror forever," Trump noted.
Soleim was killed earlier in January in a drone attack upon the orders of Pentagon near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.
The incident had worsened the tension between Iran and the US that were already sour since America withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018.
"As we defend American lives, we are working to end America's wars in the Middle East," he stressed.
"Our message to the terrorists is clear: You will never escape American justice. If you attack our citizens, you forfeit your life!," he added.
Trump further said that his administration is also strongly defending the national security of the country as well as combating radical Islamic terrorism.
Focusing on his groundbreaking plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians that was brokered last month, the President said, "Recognising that all past attempts have failed, we must be determined and creative in order to stabilise the region and give millions of young people the change to realise a better future."
Three years ago, the barbarians of ISIS held over 20,000 square miles of territory in Iraq and Syria. Today, the ISIS territorial caliphate has been 100 percent destroyed, and the founder and leader of ISIS -- the bloodthirsty killer Al-Baghdadi -- is dead!
The President reiterated the above details while introducing Carl and Marsha Mueller, who daughter Kayla, a humtarian aid worker, was kidnapped and enslaved by ISIS, and kept as a prisoner of Al-Baghdadi himself in 2013. After more than 500 horrifying days of captivity, Al-Baghdadi murdered young Kayla, when she was just 26 years old.
Lastly, speaking on America's longest war in Afghstan, the President noted that it is not America's "function to serve other nations as a law enforcement agency," instead he is only working to bring "troops back home."
( With inputs from ANI )