Trump leaves door open to more Iran strikes
Shafaq News- Washington
US President Donald Trump on Thursday left open the possibility of intensified bombing of Iran after the November midterm elections, while confirming that he had rejected Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal.
In an interview with TIME, Trump declined to disclose whether further strikes were under active consideration, saying he could not discuss potential bombing plans. He also characterized Iran’s weekend offer as inadequate, noting that terms he might have accepted a year ago were no longer sufficient.
“They made an offer to open up the Strait,” he remarked, referring to the Strait of Hormuz, but called the broader terms “not good enough.”
Defending the war’s extension into a seventh month, Trump said Washington had achieved its initial objectives but that he chose to continue operations to prevent Iran from rebuilding its capabilities elsewhere. He claimed US strikes had destroyed the country’s nuclear capability, air force, radar systems, and navy, including 159 vessels, while saying that a record volume of oil had passed through the Strait the previous night.
According to the Pentagon’s public Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), 19 US service members have died and more than 861 have been wounded since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28.
Tehran wants an agreement, Trump said, but he insisted on a “real deal” and predicted oil prices would fall once one was reached. Asked about his recent threat to “annihilate” Iran, he replied that such an outcome was “possible” and argued that it would bring peace.
On US military supplies, the president acknowledged that stocks of some types of ammunition were lower than others but rejected reports of broader shortages, noting that Washington had spent the past six months replenishing its arsenal.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, affirmed on Thursday that Tehran would not avoid dialogue with Washington as it considers the US response to proposals under negotiation.
Speaking to entrepreneurs and business leaders, Pezeshkian said Iran had “never avoided talks and never will,” despite accusing the United States of attacking his country three times even after an agreement had been signed, according to Tasnim News Agency.
