[Video below.] U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Sunday pushed back against criticism of President Donald Trump’s warning that the United States could target key Iranian infrastructure if Tehran rejects a proposed peace agreement.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that if Iran refuses to accept what he described as a “very fair and reasonable” deal, the U.S. military “is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single bridge” in the country.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Waltz was asked by host Jonathan Karl whether such actions could be considered war crimes. In response, he said they “would be an escalatory ladder.”

Waltz also drew a historical comparison to World War II, noting that U.S. and allied forces “bombed and took down bridges, other infrastructure, power plants” in Germany that “could be used for civilian [purposes] but also are used to manufacture drones and missiles.”

Under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, deliberately targeting civilians or civilian structures not involved in military activity is classified as a war crime. However, the United States is not a member of the ICC, and Trump imposed sanctions on the court last year after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC,” Trump wrote in his executive order at the time. “Neither country has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war.”

Waltz also accused Iran’s leadership and affiliated militant groups of embedding military operations within civilian settings, including “deliberately hiding military infrastructure in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods and other civilian assets.” He argued that this undermines claims against potential U.S. actions, stating that they have “no ground to stand on, number one.”

He continued by outlining additional points, saying, “Number two, they have a long history of commingling,” and “Number three, it’s perfectly acceptable in the rules of land warfare. Number four, the Iranian regime is launching drones and missiles directly into civilian homes, hotels and resorts across the Gulf.”

“So, this is just a ridiculous argument we’ve heard in the media and from the Iranians and frankly, from some lawmakers here at home,” Waltz concluded, referring to Democratic lawmakers who have criticized Trump’s threats toward Iran.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}