Trump calls Iran response ignorant and insulting

US President Donald Trump. PHOTO | SAUL LOEB | AFP

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.