Don't know if Iran will honour the deal, says Trump after fresh strikes
Washington, July 9
US President Donald Trump said that Iran wants to negotiate after fresh US retaliatory strikes, but questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to honour any agreement, saying Washington would continue responding forcefully while keeping its focus on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"We hit back much harder," Trump said on Wednesday (local time).
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington after the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said the United States had responded after attacks on commercial vessels.
"They just we just hit it very hard, and I say we hit them 20 to 1; every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20. And we did it last night; we did a little something today, but it was really retribution for last night they hit actually three boats, not two, and when they hit we hit back much harder," Trump said.
Asked whether the exchange marked a return to full-scale military conflict, Trump said, "I don't know, I don't know," but added that Washington had several options.
"We have many ways we can win, but we've already won militarily; they have very little left, and they want to make a deal so badly they called a little while ago they want to make a deal so badly I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal," he said.
"I don't know that they're going to honour the deal; that's the problem," Trump said.
Asked why Iran would attack commercial vessels if it wanted a deal, Trump said, "Because it's not crazy, to be honest with you, it's so crazy they're a little bit out of control, but they want to make a deal badly."
Trump said the confrontation was centred on denying Iran nuclear weapons.
"It was a de-nuking of Iran, denuclearisation of Iran, so, this is all about taking nuclear weapons, not allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons. And everybody should like that even you," he said.
Trump also dismissed suggestions that a last-minute aircraft change before leaving Turkey was caused by a specific security concern. He said the switch was made so personnel at the air base could view the plane.
Asked whether there had been any credible Iranian threat against Air Force One, Trump said, "All the time I'm number one on their list."
Trump described the NATO summit as successful and said the alliance had shown unity after earlier strains over defence spending.
"It was a very, very good meeting and people understand that the United States is and we've been treated very unfairly," he said.
"The meeting today settled a lot of things," Trump added.
He said future US troop decisions in Europe would depend partly on developments involving Greenland and Iran. He also said allies who had earlier declined to help were now eager to assist on Iran.
"They all want to go, and they want to help on Iran so badly, but I don't really need help," Trump said.
Syria, Hezbollah discussed
Trump also praised Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he had "done a great job" and had "unified Syria."
Asked whether al-Sharaa had made commitments on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Trump replied, "He did," but declined to provide details. He also said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "was great" during their meeting.
The latest comments came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran after military exchanges and attacks on commercial shipping. The Trump administration has said its objective is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, while using military, diplomatic and economic pressure to force Tehran to change course.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, whether Iran can be trusted or not is a legitimate question. But Trump's "hit them 20 to 1" rhetoric is just playground talk. The world needs mature leadership, not someone boasting about bombing countries from Air Force One. India should stay out of this mess and focus on our own security challenges.
Interesting how Trump dismisses allies wanting to help on Iran but is happy to take credit for NATO unity. Classic American double game. As an Indian, I worry about the impact on oil prices and the safety of Indian workers in the Middle East. The US should stop playing with fire. 🔥
From an international perspective, Trump's strategy is confusing. He says Iran wants a deal, then bombs them harder, then complains they can't be trusted. It's like a toddler throwing a tantrum. The world leaders must be rolling their eyes behind his back. India should maintain independent foreign policy here.
Trump praising Syria's leader who "unified Syria" while bombing Iran is peak irony. Meanwhile, our region is on edge. India has historic ties with Iran and also strong strategic relations with the US. This tightrope walking is exhausting. I wish both sides would just talk instead of flexing military muscle. 🙏
The "de-nuking of Iran" is a noble goal, but Trump's method is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. He says he's fought them 20 to 1, but what's the endgame? This isn't a video game. As an Indian, I'm worried about the ripple effects on
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