WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has hinted at ending the ceasefire and resuming attacks on Iran, stating that while he does not believe ending the truce is necessary at this moment, “it may be necessary.”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that military action against Iran should have been launched much earlier. He claimed that the United States has already destroyed 90 percent of Iran’s missile factories and that sanctions imposed on Tehran are proving successful. “Iran’s economy is collapsing,” Trump said, adding that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and is desperate to reach a deal.
The President also pointed to uncertainty within Iran’s leadership as a major obstacle. “No one knows who the real leader is there,” he remarked.
In the same briefing, Trump made a series of additional statements. He suggested that Iran should be allowed to participate in the Football World Cup. He also once again mentioned the Prime Minister of Pakistan, claiming, “I stopped 8 wars, including the war between Pakistan and India.” Trump said that during that conflict, 11 planes had been shot down, and the Pakistani Prime Minister told him that he “saved the lives of 30 to 50 million people.”
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the President downplayed its importance to the U.S., saying, “We do not use the Strait of Hormuz. We have a lot of oil.”
Trump’s remarks come at a critical juncture in U.S.-Iran tensions, raising concerns about a possible breakdown of the fragile ceasefire
