TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader said President Donald Trump is a "clown" who only pretends to support the Iranian people but will “push a poisonous dagger” into their backs, as he struck a defiant tone in his first Friday sermon in Tehran in eight years. He said the “cowardly” killing of Soleimani had taken out the most effective commander in the battle against the Islamic State group. In response, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting U.S. troops in Iraq, without causing serious injuries. Khamenei said the strike had dealt a “blow to America's image” as a superpower. In part of the sermon delivered in Arabic, he said the “real punishment” would be in forcing the U.S. to withdraw from the Middle East.

Source: International New York Times January 17, 2020 04:30 UTC