Trump squandered prospect of peaceful reform in Iran: Former CIA Director

Former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan has slammed United States President Donald Trump's administration for its hard-line stance toward Iran, saying it has diminished the possibility of peaceful political change there.

"With wholesale condemnation of Iran and nuclear deal over past year, Trump Admin squandered the opportunity to bolster reformists in Tehran and prospects for peaceful political reform in Iran. Bluster is neither a strategy nor a mechanism for the exercise of US power and influence," Brennan tweeted on Tuesday.



With wholesale condemnation of Iran and nuclear deal over past year, Trump Admin squandered opportunity to bolster reformists in Tehran and prospects for peaceful political reform in Iran. Bluster is neither a strategy nor a mechanism for exercise of U.S. power and influence.

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) January 2, 2018


Brennan served as CIA director during the Obama administration.

Trump dubbed the Iranian regime as "brutal" and "corrupt" and also purported that the money was given to Iran by Barack Obama, when he was the American president "went into terrorism and into their 'pockets.'"
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Iran doesn't need US permission to conduct missile tests, says Rouhani

President Hassan Rouhani said today that Iran does not need the permission of the United States to conduct missile tests, which would continue "if technically necessary".

"Our missiles are for our defence and for peace, they are not offensive. Know that while there is a technical need to conduct missile tests, we will do so and we will ask the permission of no one," Rouhani told reporters in Tehran, following renewed criticism from US President Donald Trump.
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