Trump Says Iran Response to His Offer 'Ignorant and Insulting'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed the "ignorant and insulting" response from Iran to his offer of talks, extended as the United States slapped new sanctions on the country's already crippled economy.

"Iran's very ignorant and insulting statement, put out today, only shows that they do not understand reality," he tweeted.

On Monday, Trump ordered punitive sanctions targeting Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military chiefs, and promised to blacklist its foreign minister -- but said the door was open to talks on reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Trump also warned Iran on Tuesday that an attack on U.S. interests would trigger an "overwhelming" response and could bring "obliteration."

"Any attack by Iran on anything American will be met with great and overwhelming force. In some areas, overwhelming will mean obliteration," he said.

Iran's leaders only understand "Strength and Power, and the USA is by far the most powerful Military Force in the world," Trump said in the tweet.

"No more John Kerry & Obama!" he added, referring to former U.S. president Barack Obama and his secretary of state.