Trump's assessment of Iran's leadership
US President Donald Trump said Iran does not appear to have a clear leader after renewed American military action, claiming that the country's armed forces have been reduced to a fraction of their previous strength. Trump made the remarks at the White House after being asked who was running Iran following the suspension of negotiations and the latest round of strikes.
"They don't really know. In my opinion, they don't know who the leader is," Trump said, as reported by Lokmat Times. "You have the radicals, but they've been wiped out from the standpoint of the military, because their military is just a fraction of what it was."
The President did not identify any individual or group that Washington believes may now be exercising authority in Tehran, nor did he provide evidence supporting his assessment of Iran's political leadership.
'Failed nation' and military pressure
Trump described Iran as a "failed nation" facing severe economic and military pressure, citing "350 per cent inflation, they have no currency, they're not paying their soldiers, their leaders are largely dead, their navy is gone, their air force is gone, their surveillance equipment is almost entirely gone," according to Lokmat Times.
Asked whether the resumption of strikes represented a limited campaign or a return to full-scale war, Trump did not directly define the scope or duration of the military operation. "That doesn't mean we won't smack 'em; we'll see what happens," he said.
Strait of Hormuz and oil prices
Trump said the United States had secured the Strait of Hormuz and was helping commercial vessels navigate the strategically important waterway. "But we have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape. You know, we're taking over," he said, adding that "many, many ships got through last night, with the Navy's assistance."
The President said an average of 30 ships had been passing through the strait each night. He linked the movement of oil tankers through the waterway to the absence of a sharper increase in international oil prices: "And we've been averaging 30 ships a night, that's a lot, and a lot of oil is coming out," he said, as reported by Lokmat Times. "That's why you haven't seen the price of oil go like they thought it might have to go."
Nuclear objective and military operations
Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon was the central objective of the US campaign. "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. See, that's what it's all about. It's not about any of the other things," he said, according to both Lokmat Times and ThePrint.
ThePrint reported that Trump told Fox News on Monday that he had launched "Operation Epic Fury" aimed at Iran because it was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon. ThePrint also noted that in April, Trump said he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran, arguing that nuclear weapons "should never be allowed to be used by anybody."
Trump warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a direct threat to Israel, the broader Middle East, and eventually the US. "If Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel would have been wiped out. You would have no Israel right now, and you'd probably have no Middle East," he said, as carried by Lokmat Times.
Conflicting reports over nuclear discussions
ThePrint reported that former Trump administration official Joe Kent said strategy meetings have included discussion of using nuclear weapons against Iran. "Yes, you read that correctly. It's real. I'm not speculating; I know. And it's pure evil," Kent said, calling it "a terrible option."
Continuing conflict and criticism
The episode unfolded against the backdrop of a conflict that has now stretched into its sixth month, with the United States and Iran exchanging fresh strikes over the weekend for the first time in a month, ThePrint reported. Trump's claim that Iran has been "totally defeated militarily" has drawn scrutiny, ThePrint said, noting that despite subsequent US and Israeli bombardment, Iran continues to control the Strait of Hormuz, continually showing that it is capable of military retaliation, even as the war drags on without any resolution in sight.
ThePrint reported that the gap between Trump's rhetoric and the continuing hostilities has become a point of criticism, as the administration continues to frame the war as approaching an endpoint. Trump also waved off concerns over high US gas prices, predicting they would fall once the war was "completely" won.
During Monday's exchange, Trump admonished a journalist, telling her "We've had a lot of problems with you, haven't we?" The exchange was widely clipped and shared online, ThePrint reported.