President Trump flanked by Secretary of State Marc Rubio outside the White House. AP
Ahram Online collated the US President’s answers on various questions.
“We have won in Iran … We have dealt powerful blows to Iran … We achieved victory in the war militarily … I will end the war when I am ready to do so,” Trump said in answers to various questions on whether or when he plans to end the war.
Pressed on what he meant when he said the war was militarily won in Iran, he said the US was “roaming free” in Iran and “they’re finished” militarily.
"Their army is destroyed ... Their navy is destroyed."
“I think so, yeah … The relationship is “a very good one” ... "More of less, we want similar things. We want victory, both of us, and that’s what we’ve got,” he said in an answer to a question on whether Tel Aviv would end the war when the US decides to end it.
“Look we can have dialogue but I don’t want to do a ceasefire. You don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side,” on whether there could be a dialogue or a truce deal with Tehran.
Asked about reopening the strait of Hormuz to allow crucial oil and gas shipments, Trump reiterated his criticism of Nato saying they “haven’t had the courage to do so."
"We don’t use [the strait]. At a certain point, it will open itself."
A lot of help would be needed to secure the strait, he added.
“It would be nice” if countries that use the strait, like China, South Korea, and Japan, would “get involved”.
“China gets 90 percent of its oil from Hormuz."
To a question on whether he has a plan for Iranian oil-hub in Kharg Island, he said: "I may have a plan, I may not, but how would I ever say that to a reporter … It is certainly a place that people are talking about."
On rising oil prices, “I expected prices to be even higher than they are now.”
Another question on plans: “I might have a plan on when to end the war and I might not have a plan on when to end it, why would I tell you.”
Asked about the recent UK government’s decision to allow the US to use British UK bases in the Middle East to strike targets in “defensive operations,” Trump continued to make his disappointment with 10 Downing Street known:
“Well, it’s been a very late response … A surprise, because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before … They were really pretty much our first ally all over the world, first ally, and they didn’t want us to use the island, the so-called island, which for some reason they gave up rights to it.”
"I was a little surprised at the UK, to be honest with you. They should have acted a lot faster."
Short link: