Former Defense Secretary says Iran ‘emboldened’ by conflict, ignoring Trump threats

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Sunday said Iran is being “emboldened” by the ongoing conflict in the region as President Trump keeps reneging on large-scale threats involving attacks on Tehran. 

“Clearly the Iranians have figured this out. They are not reacting to these threats, and they are taking very strategic positions with regard to this. And so you saw them over the last week, put forward again this Omani plan that they’re going to unveil at some point,” Esper said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

“But these demands they’ve now raised last night show that they are emboldened, that they feel confident about their position in the world. And at the same time, they are flexing their muscles by using their proxies,” he added. 

Iran has attempted to expand its control over the Strait of Hormuz by using the Houthis in Yemen to threaten commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, demonstrating another potential stronghold over energy transports. 

“We know that the Houthis just this morning attacked a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea.........

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