US President Donald Trump on Sunday said it was “highly unlikely” that he would order a new offensive against Iran if there is progress in negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump told CNN when asked about a potential renewed offensive.
“The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary. They’re a failing nation… I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard… They’re withering away financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off,” he added.
Trump said the US is ready to strike Iran if necessary. “We’re ready for it. I’ve got three aircraft carriers here. The other one just arrived. We have three. They’re fully locked and loaded.”
But he reiterated that he would like to avoid destroying Iranian infrastructure. “I don’t want to do that because, essentially, it’ll take 10 years to rebuild them… I don’t like ripping down bridges. And the hardest thing to build is a bridge. It takes years, and I’m a good builder.”
Trump further claimed Iran retains only 10 per cent of its missile capacity and 15% of its drone capabilities.
“The only thing they can do is about 10 per cent level — make some missiles and make some drones. Drones at about 15 per cent because much of their factories are gone,” he says. “They want to make a deal so badly.”
CNN did not specify exactly what it had asked Trump, who also said that if strikes resume, the US has identified potential infrastructure targets, including 38 bridges “that we can knock down in literally one hour.”
