WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said another war with Iran may not be necessary, indicating that the chances of new military strikes are slim if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz proceed positively. He cautioned, however, that Washington would not hesitate to resume military action if Iran declines to agree to a strong deal.
Trump made the remarks in a 20-minute phone interview with CNN on Sunday, stating several times that war could be avoided if negotiations move forward. He said the United States has already inflicted heavy military and economic damage on Iran, asserting that inflation in the country has reached 301 percent.
The president said the U.S. military remains ready to strike Iran again if needed, with three aircraft carriers deployed in West Asia and fully prepared for combat. He said Iran’s critical infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, has been targeted. The U.S. holds details of 38 bridges and could destroy them within an hour, he said, but added that he would prefer not to, since rebuilding could take a decade.
Trump also claimed that U.S. strikes have destroyed Iran’s air defense systems, leaving it with only 10 percent of its missile capacity and 15 percent of its drone capacity, and that many of its weapons production facilities have been badly damaged. Given Iran’s apparent eagerness for a deal, he said, another war is unlikely.
Diplomatic activity in West Asia has intensified following a setback for Trump’s Republican Party in the recent U.S. midterm elections. Qatar said Trump had spoken with its Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, about reducing tensions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held talks with representatives of several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Pakistan. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said there was no immediate breakthrough in the negotiations and described Iran’s demands as unacceptable.