The US president described the ongoing negotiations with Iran as part of Washington’s efforts to eliminate Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that Iran has agreed to nearly all of Washington’s demands in the ongoing negotiations, while reiterating that the talks are aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Speaking to CNBC, Trump said he believed the negotiations were nearing an agreement. “I think they’ve agreed to just about everything we need,” the US president said.
‘It’s Denuclearisation Of Iran’
The US president described the negotiations as part of Washington’s efforts to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“We’re in the war, and it’s really the denuclearisation of Iran. This is not a war per se. This is the denuking of Iran. You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Trump also claimed the United States had significantly weakened Iran’s military during the conflict.
“I ripped their military apart. They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no radar, their leaders are all dead. And they elect – not elect – they raise new leaders. They’re all dead also. We’re on the third set of leaders, and we actually get along with them,” he said, while speaking to CNBC.
He further said the US has totally defeated the military of Iran, and their leftover missiles can also be wiped out easily.
“I’ve defeated them militarily. They’re totally defeated militarily. They have some missiles left, we could wipe them out too. And I hit them three times last week very hard, because they sent a drone into a ship, I hit them. Then they did something else, and I hit them. I hit them three nights in a row, the week before I hit them two nights in a row, very hard. And we’re negotiating, and we’ll see whether or not. I think they’ve agreed to just about everything we need,” Trump said.
Trump added that the United States has remained in a strong position during the negotiations. “We have all the assets. Now they are just waiting,” he said.
‘Iran Has 300% Inflation’
He also said Iran’s economy had been severely affected and suggested the US could become a supplier of food commodities if an agreement is reached.
“We have the great Navy, the greatest navy in the world. These guys are unbelievable. Not one ship got through to Iran. They have 300% inflation, they’re making no money. So we’re going to take some of the money, and we’re going to buy them. They need food. They need corn, and wheat, and soybeans, and we’re going to have exclusively our American farmers provide that. Assuming we get to the position where we should get to. I think we’re going to get there.”
Trump criticised media reports that suggested Iran was in a stronger position than before the conflict.
“The New York Times said the other day that Iran is in better position now than it was four months ago. I said, wait a minute, their military is gone. Their inflation is up to 300% from 5%. Their leaders are gone. Their second row of leaders are gone. Some of their third row of leaders are gone. Their generals are mostly wiped out. But they said that they are in better shape today than they were four months ago, before we attacked,” he said, while speaking to CNBC.
Speaking about the naval operations against Iran, Trump said that the US has blown up all their radars, and they will have to start building them again.
“We did something nobody knew. Every night, we were taking ships out through the South, which is the furthest point from where they have their little weapons, and they were going along the coast with no lights for a month and a half… We blew up Iran’s radar, they had no radar, they still don’t. We blew it up again the other night. They had a nice new radar, they were all set to go, and we blew it up last week. They have to start all over again for a third time,” he said.