US President Donald Trump ruled out resuming military action against Iran on Monday, citing positive momentum toward ending the conflict.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war in Iran is militarily effectively over and could end fairly soon. Speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room after meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Trump suggested he is not prepared to resume bombardment at this time.
Trump stated that the United States is maintaining the status quo at the behest of Middle East allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. He claimed Iran's military is essentially gone, alleging the nation has an inflation rate of 301 per cent and has lost its manufacturing capability by about 85 per cent.
The President noted that while further military action does not seem necessary, the US military remains locked and loaded for any change in circumstances. He also mentioned that the US is maintaining a naval blockade to stem the flow of Iranian oil, describing it as the greatest military blockade ever.
According to reports from Hindustan Times and Siasat, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued directives to end the state of neither war nor peace with the US. Pezeshkian signalled Tehran's willingness to engage in diplomatic talks on a fair and equal footing without coercion, as reported by the ISNA news agency.
The remarks follow recent US midterm elections where the Republican Party lost both chambers of Congress to the Democrats. Trump previously indicated he might escalate attacks if Iran did not agree to US terms, though he has also previously allowed more time for diplomacy.
