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Trump says war would lead to 'end' of Iran

President Donald Trump welcomed Swiss president Ueli Maurer to the White House Thursday, amid rising tensions with Iran. Asked by reporters if the U.S. is going to war with Tehran, Trump responded, "I hope not." (May 16) AP, AP

President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Iran early Monday, saying that it would face its "official end" if a war broke out between the two countries. 

"Never again threaten the United States," Trump said in a tweet shortly after a rocket landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, overnight.

Trump's comments came after he has seemingly sought to soften his tone on Iran in recent days following heightened tension sparked by a sudden deployment of U.S. bombers and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf over unspecified threats.

GOP lawmaker on Iran threat: Directive was to 'kill and kidnap American soldiers'

Iraq's military said the Katyusha rocket that landed in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone less than a mile from the U.S. Embassy, causing no injures, was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad. The area is home to Iran-backed Shiite militias.

Congress is expected to get a classified briefing on Iran on Tuesday after Democratic and Republican lawmakers requested more information from the White House about the intelligence that has led to the growing U.S. military footprint in the Gulf. The State Department ordered a partial evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad last week. 

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday, Trump said he was not seeking a conflict with Iran but he also vowed not to let it develop nuclear weapons. 

"I'm not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly – by far most importantly," the president said.

Written By: Richard Harrington-Richard's NewsOnLine