 "Trump says deal with Iran is 'irrelevant' for US, claims war will end in '2-3 weeks'")
US President Donald Trump has said that a deal with Iran is not needed to end the war, as it is “irrelevant” to Washington’s final decision to leave the country.
“Iran doesn’t have to make a deal, no,” Trump said, adding that the US will leave Iran when it is certain that the regime can not build a nuclear weapon “for years”.
The president also gave a new timeline for the war, saying that it will end in “two or three weeks”.
“We’re finishing the job,” he says, adding the US will leave “within maybe two weeks, maybe a couple days longer to do the job”.
“We want to knock out every single thing they have - now it’s possible we make a deal before that,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office. He also noted that while the possibility of securing a deal exists, “it doesn’t matter” if they “come to the table”.
The president claimed that the US had achieved the goals it had set before striking Iran in February. He said that the primary goal of taking away Iran’s ability to obtain a nuclear weapon has been reached.
‘Begging to make a deal’
Trump reiterated his claim that Iran is “begging” to make a deal with the US, despite Tehran repeatedly denying his statements, saying that it never reached out to Washington for an agreement.
“They’re not putting up a fight. They’re not even shooting at us,” Trump said as he claimed that Iran’s anti-aircraft protection is obliterated by the US. He also noted that Iran does not have a navy or military.
Trump said, “They’re losing. They admit they’re losing. They’re begging to make a deal.”
Trump does not want reopening of the Strait either
Trump has reportedly told aides that he is willing to end the Iran war even if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz, a stark contrast to what he has been demanding in the past couple of weeks.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that facilitates global shipping, has become a point of contention in the Iran war as Trump continues to threaten Tehran with intensified military operations if the shipping passage is not reopened.
Quick Reads
View AllIn recent days, Trump and his advisers concluded that a military effort to reopen the chokepoint would likely extend the conflict beyond his preferred four- to six-week timeline. Instead, he opted to focus on core objectives, weakening Iran’s navy and missile capabilities, while scaling back active hostilities and increasing diplomatic pressure on Tehran to restore the free flow of trade.
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