Amid tension over attacks on tankers and the downing of a US drone, Iran has explained its rejection of international mediation by calling Donald Trump an “international racketeer”.

The regime’s line came through an opinion piece by Adm. Ali Shamkhani (pictured), the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, published on Saturday:

By trampling on all international norms and law, Trump is trying to portray himself as an international racketeer whose behavior is unpredictable, and believes that he can infringe on the Iranian nation’s rights with such methods.

Shamkhani attempted to explain why the Supreme Leader had accepted messages from President Barack Obama but had rejected Trump’s notes. He said Trump, fulfilling his sense of self-importance in dealing with “some low-level wealthy states of the Persian Gulf”, had created many challenges in the international arena.

See also TrumpWatch, Day 883: Trump Creates Series of Reasons for Iran Flip-Flop

Two weeks ago, just before attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman raised tensions, the Iranians rejected mediation efforts by Germany and Japan. When Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was carrying a message from Donald Trump, Khamenei replied:

I do not consider Trump as a person worth exchanging any message with and I have no answer for him, nor will I respond to him in the future.

Iran Daily, June 14: Tensions Surge as Tankers Attacked and Mediation Fails

Shamkhani writes that Khamenei’s differing reactions to Obama and Trump demonstrate Iran’s logic of “courtesy for courtesy” and humiliation of bullies.